How do the brain's time and space mediate consciousness and its different dimensions? Temporo-spatial theory of consciousness (TTC).
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews September 1, 2017 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.07.013 via PubMed
Summary
The Temporo-spatial Theory of Consciousness (TTC) proposes that consciousness is shaped by the brain's temporal and spatial activity. It identifies four neuronal mechanisms: spontaneous activity reflects the level/state of consciousness, pre-stimulus activity influences content/form, early stimulus-induced activity relates to phenomenal consciousness, and late stimulus-induced activity pertains to cognitive features. These mechanisms highlight how different dimensions of consciousness are interconnected through intrinsic brain activities.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | The TTC outlines four neuronal mechanisms that explain how different aspects of consciousness are influenced by the brain's temporo-spatial activity. |
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Abstract
Time and space are the basic building blocks of nature. As a unique existent in nature, our brain exists in time and takes up space. The brain's activity itself also constitutes and spreads in its own (intrinsic) time and space that is crucial for consciousness. Consciousness is a complex phenomenon including different dimensions: level/state, content/form, phenomenal aspects, and cognitive features. We propose a Temporo-spatial Theory of Consciousness (TTC) focusing primarily on the temporal and spatial features of the brain activity. We postulate four different neuronal mechanisms accounting for the different dimensions of consciousness: (i) "temporo-spatial nestedness" of the spontaneous activity accounts for the level/state of consciousness as neural predisposition of consciousness (NPC); (ii) "temporo-spatial alignment" of the pre-stimulus activity accounts for the content/form of consciousness as neural prerequisite of consciousness (preNCC); (iii) "temporo-spatial expansion" of early stimulus-induced activity accounts for phenomenal consciousness as neural correlates of consciousness (NCC); (iv) "temporo-spatial globalization" of late stimulus-induced activity accounts for the cognitive features of consciousness as neural consequence of consciousness (NCCcon).