Bifurcation dynamics in a shared network beyond sensory areas characterize conscious auditory perception independently of report
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) June 22, 2026 Julie Boyer, Nathan Beraud, Benoît Béranger et al.
Conscious perception is linked to all-or-none late brain activations that exhibit bifurcation dynamics, even without a task. Using fMRI and near-threshold auditory stimulation, this study identified the brain networks producing these bifurcations and how they differ depending on task context. Stimulus intensity modulated activity across broad networks including sensory and extra-sensory regions like the prefrontal cortex in both task and no-task contexts. These networks had both shared and distinct components. Single-trial modeling revealed bifurcation dynamics beyond primary sensory cortices and allowed prediction of conscious perception on individual trials in both contexts, resolving previous conflicting results and showing common networks and dynamics underlying conscious perception regardless of task.