Temporo-spatial Theory of Consciousness (TTC) - Bridging the gap of neuronal activity and phenomenal states.
Behavioural Brain Research February 1, 2022 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113788 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
The temporo-spatial theory of consciousness (TTC) proposes that consciousness arises from the brain's spontaneous activity, not just from external stimuli. It identifies four mechanisms—expansion, globalization, alignment, and nestedness—that link spontaneous and stimulus-related neural activity to distinct dimensions of consciousness: phenomenal content, access, form/structure, and level/state. The theory aims to bridge gaps between spontaneous and stimulus-driven brain activity and between neural and phenomenal features. This review updates the TTC, develops its mechanisms, and offers specific neurophenomenal hypotheses, presenting it as a unifying framework for existing neuroscientific theories.
Study at a glance
| Design | review |
|---|---|
| Key finding | The temporo-spatial theory of consciousness offers a framework linking spontaneous and stimulus-related brain activity to distinct dimensions of consciousness through four mechanisms. |
Abstract
Consciousness and its neural mechanisms remain a mystery. Current neuroscientific theories focus predominantly on the external input/stimulus and the associated stimulus-related activity during conscious contents. Despite all progress, we encounter two gaps: (i) a gap between spontaneous and stimulus-related activity; (ii) a gap between neuronal and phenomenal features. A novel, different, and unique approach, Temporo-spatial theory of consciousness (TTC) aims to bridge both gaps. The TTC focuses on the brain's spontaneous activity and how its spatial topography and temporal dynamic shape stimulus-related activity and resurface in the corresponding spatial and temporal features of consciousness, i.e., 'common currency'. The TTC introduces four temporo-spatial mechanisms: expansion, globalization, alignment, and nestedness. These are associated with distinct dimensions of consciousness including phenomenal content, access, form/structure, and level/state, respectively. Following up on the first introduction of the TTC in 2017, we review updates, further develop these temporo-spatial mechanisms, and postulate specific neurophenomenal hypotheses. We conclude that the TTC offers a viable approach for (i) linking spontaneous and stimulus-related activity in conscious states; (ii) determining specific neuronal and neurophenomenal mechanisms for the distinct dimensions of consciousness; (iii) an integrative and unifying framework of different neuroscientific theories of consciousness; and (iv) offers novel empirically grounded conceptual assumptions about the biological and ontological nature of consciousness and its relation to the brain.