Frontiers in human neuroscience
January 1, 2022
Lawrence M Ward, Ramón Guevara
17 citations
Phenomenal consciousness arises from the electromagnetic field generated by a specific part of the thalamus in mammals and homologous brain regions in other animals. This field is structured by emulating information from both external and internal sources, producing qualia. What distinguishes the conscious EM field from other brain EM fields is that it models niche-relevant, action-relevant information (affordances) as a Gestalt—the best possible representation of the organism's moment-to-moment environment. Lower-level information, such as unanalyzed retinal signals, is excluded because it is not niche-relevant. This model enables organisms to control their actions within their environment.
Front Syst Neurosci
July 29, 2024
Jose Luis Perez Velazquez, Diego Martin Mateos, Ramón Guevara et al.
4 citations
A new biophysical theory of consciousness, MaxCon, integrates aspects of several existing neuroscientific theories to find convergence points and simplify understanding of how cellular collective activity organizes to fulfill dynamic requirements. It highlights the association of consciousness with maximization of the number of configurations of neural network connections, constrained by neuroanatomy, biophysics, and the environment. A computable index indicating consciousness level is presented. The theory aims to provide a comprehensive view on consciousness and how normal nervous system dynamics can develop into pathological states, addressing the current discordance in consciousness research.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
August 17, 2021
Nicolas Fuentes, Alexis García, Ramón Guevara et al.
preprint
The complexity of brain activity can serve as a correlate of consciousness. In monkeys, electrocorticogram recordings were analyzed using information quantifiers to compare stages of general anesthesia. For propofol and medetomidine, the anesthetized state showed a reduction in brain activity complexity. Conversely, ketamine produced an increase in complexity measurements, linked to increased activity in certain brain regions. Complexity of brain activity is a good indicator for evaluating different levels of consciousness awareness, in both anesthetized and non-anesthetized states.