Markers of consciousness in infants: Towards a 'cluster-based' approach.

Summary

Consciousness in infants is difficult to study because they cannot report their experiences. A review of behavioral and neural markers of consciousness validated in adults suggests these markers cannot be directly translated to infancy. A 'cluster-based' approach, using convergence of multiple markers, may provide convincing evidence. The review argues that consciousness is likely present by 5 months of age or earlier.

Study at a glance

Abstract

As recently as the 1980s, it was not uncommon for paediatric surgeons to operate on infants without anaesthesia. Today, the same omission would be considered criminal malpractice, and there is an increased concern with the possibility of consciousness in the earliest stage of human infancy. This concern reflects a more general trend that has characterised science since the early 1990s of taking consciousness seriously. While this attitude shift has opened minds towards the possibility that our earliest experiences predate our first memories, convincing demonstrations of infant consciousness remain challenging given that infants cannot report on their experiences. Furthermore, while many behavioural and neural markers of consciousness that do not rely on language have been validated in adults, no one specific marker can be confidently translated to infancy. For this reason, we have proposed the 'cluster-based' approach, in which a consensus of evidence across many markers, all pointing towards the same developmental period, could be used to argue convincingly for the presence of consciousness. CONCLUSION: We review the most promising markers for early consciousness, arguing that consciousness is likely to be in place by 5 months of age if not earlier.

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