Whole-brain models to explore altered states of consciousness from the\n bottom up

Altered states of consciousness provide a key opportunity to understand how global brain activity changes relate to different subjective experiences. This paper advocates a research program that bridges bottom-up generative models of whole-brain activity with top-down signatures proposed by theories of consciousness. It defines altered states, discusses relevant brain-activity signatures, and introduces whole-brain models to explore the mechanisms of altered consciousness from the bottom-up. The authors argue that systematic investigation of altered states via bottom-up modeling may help clarify the biophysical, informational, and dynamical foundations of consciousness.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The scope of human consciousness includes states departing from what most of\nus experience as ordinary wakefulness. These altered states of consciousness\nconstitute a prime opportunity to study how global changes in brain activity\nrelate to different varieties of subjective experience. We consider the problem\nof explaining how global signatures of altered consciousness arise from the\ninterplay between large-scale connectivity and local dynamical rules that can\nbe traced to known properties of neural tissue. For this purpose, we advocate a\nresearch program aimed at bridging the gap between bottom-up generative models\nof whole-brain activity and the top-down signatures proposed by theories of\nconsciousness. Throughout this paper, we define altered states of\nconsciousness, discuss relevant signatures of consciousness observed in brain\nactivity, and introduce whole-brain models to explore the mechanisms of altered\nconsciousness from the bottom-up. We discuss the potential of our proposal in\nview of the current state of the art, give specific examples of how this\nresearch agenda might play out, and emphasise how a systematic investigation of\naltered states of consciousness via bottom-up modelling may help us better\nunderstand the biophysical, informational, and dynamical underpinnings of\nconsciousness.\n