How Energy Supports Our Brain to Yield Consciousness: Insights From Neuroimaging Based on the Neuroenergetics Hypothesis.

Consciousness is thought to arise from specific neuronal processes, but leading theories like information integration theory, global neuronal workspace theory, and the temporospatial theory focus on neural mechanisms while neglecting their energetic-metabolic basis. Drawing on findings from loss of consciousness due to sleep, general anesthesia, and vegetative state/unresponsive wakeful syndrome in humans and animals, the authors propose that energetic-metabolic processes involving ATP, glucose, and γ-aminobutyrate/glutamate are essential for the functional connectivity of normal brain networks that enables consciousness. They describe these as energetic-metabolic predispositions of consciousness, complementing existing theories centered on neural correlates.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Consciousness is considered a result of specific neuronal processes and mechanisms in the brain. Various suggested neuronal mechanisms, including the information integration theory (IIT), global neuronal workspace theory (GNWS), and neuronal construction of time and space as in the context of the temporospatial theory of consciousness (TTC), have been laid forth. However, despite their focus on different neuronal mechanisms, these theories neglect the energetic-metabolic basis of the neuronal mechanisms that are supposed to yield consciousness. Based on the findings of physiology-induced (sleep), pharmacology-induced (general anesthesia), and pathology-induced [vegetative state/unresponsive wakeful syndrome (VS/UWS)] loss of consciousness in both human subjects and animals, we, in this study, suggest that the energetic-metabolic processes focusing on ATP, glucose, and γ-aminobutyrate/glutamate are indispensable for functional connectivity (FC) of normal brain networks that renders consciousness possible. Therefore, we describe the energetic-metabolic predispositions of consciousness (EPC) that complement the current theories focused on the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC).