Thalamic oscillations distinguish natural states of consciousness in humans
Aditya Chowdhury, Xiongbo Wu, Tara Beilner, Thomas Schreiner, Thomas Koeglsperger, Jan-Hinnerk Mehrkens, Jan Remi, Christian Vollmar, Elisabeth Kaufmann, Tobias Staudigl
bioRxiv Preprint Server January 28, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.1101/2025.01.28.635248 via bioRxiv
Summary
A distinct brain oscillation in the 19-45 Hz range, recorded directly from the human central thalamus, is present only during REM sleep and wakefulness and absent during non-REM sleep. This oscillation co-occurs with bursts of eye movements during REM sleep and is specific to the central thalamus, a structure linked to global brain state transitions. The finding provides a new electrophysiological signature that distinguishes conscious states, offering a pathway to investigate thalamic roles in consciousness and potentially refine treatments for disorders of consciousness.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational study |
|---|---|
| Population | Humans |
| Key finding | A 19-45 Hz oscillation in the central thalamus is present only during REM sleep and wakefulness, absent during non-REM sleep, and distinguishes REM sleep microstates. |
Abstract
Natural states of consciousness are thought to be regulated by deep brain structures such as the thalamus. However, very little is known about the underlying electrophysiology in humans. Here, using a rare opportunity to directly record from the human thalamus, we identify a hitherto-unreported brain-state-specific oscillation of approximately 19-45 Hz. This oscillation is present only during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and wakefulness, while being absent during Non-REM sleep. The 19-45 oscillation further distinguishes REM sleep microstates, co-occurring with bursts of eye movements, and is specific to the Central Thalamus, a structure implicated in causing global brain state transitions. The discovery of a distinct oscillatory signature in the Central Thalamus that distinguishes conscious states opens up avenues to further investigate thalamic contributions to states of consciousness in humans and potentially to refine interventions to treat disorders of consciousness.