Large-Scale Brain Simulation and Disorders of Consciousness. Mapping Technical and Conceptual Issues.

Computer models and simulations are increasingly used to describe, explain, and predict brain function, aiming to integrate fragmented neuroscientific knowledge. This paper examines whether simulation technologies could plausibly emulate consciousness and assesses their potential clinical impact on disorders of consciousness such as coma, vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, and minimally conscious state. Despite technical limitations, the authors suggest that simulating neural correlates of consciousness may offer new solutions to practical clinical problems, particularly improving treatments for patients with these disorders.

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Abstract

Modeling and simulations have gained a leading position in contemporary attempts to describe, explain, and quantitatively predict the human brain's operations. Computer models are highly sophisticated tools developed to achieve an integrated knowledge of the brain with the aim of overcoming the actual fragmentation resulting from different neuroscientific approaches. In this paper we investigate the plausibility of simulation technologies for emulation of consciousness and the potential clinical impact of large-scale brain simulation on the assessment and care of disorders of consciousness (DOCs), e.g., Coma, Vegetative State/Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome, Minimally Conscious State. Notwithstanding their technical limitations, we suggest that simulation technologies may offer new solutions to old practical problems, particularly in clinical contexts. We take DOCs as an illustrative case, arguing that the simulation of neural correlates of consciousness is potentially useful for improving treatments of patients with DOCs.