The performance of mind: from movement, mental states, and consciousness.
Frontiers in psychology January 1, 2025 Guy Cheron, Ana Maria Cebolla
The brain evolved primarily to generate movement and can be studied as a complex oscillator using electroencephalography (EEG). This perspective reviews findings from animal and human research showing that analyzing brain oscillatory dynamics and neural entrainment reveals links to mental states, motor performance, and consciousness. By examining three established EEG markers—the P300 evoked potential, the readiness potential, and the somatosensory N30 wave—the authors propose new neurophysiological mechanisms for future study. Insights from oculomotor research, particularly the neural integrator concept and its extension to working memory and dynamic attractor models, may clarify how movement generation and consciousness interact functionally.