Neural correlates of consciousness in humans
Nature reviews. Neuroscience April 1, 2002 Geraint Rees, Gabriel Kreiman, Christof Koch 742 citations
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Geraint Rees
5 papers in the library · 1,142 citations · publishing 2001-2012
Papers
Cognitive-Affective Neural Plasticity following Active-Controlled Mindfulness Intervention
Journal of Neuroscience October 31, 2012 Micah Allen, Martin Dietz, Karina S. Blair et al. 389 citations
A six-week randomized trial compared mindfulness training to an active control condition in healthy adults. Both groups improved on a response-inhibition task, but only the mindfulness group showed reduced emotional conflict on an affective Stroop task. The mindfulness group also showed greater dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity during executive processing, suggesting increased use of top-down control. No overall group differences emerged for negative affect-related reaction times or brain responses. However, participants who practiced mindfulness the most showed improved response inhibition and greater recruitment of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, and right anterior insula during negative-valence processing. The findings indicate that mindfulness training engages distinct neural mechanisms at progressive stages and that optimal application may depend on context.
The cognitive neuroscience of consciousness
Cognitive Neuroscience August 18, 2010 Geraint Rees, Anil K. Seth 11 citations
Consciousness research has advanced rapidly through cognitive neuroscience methods that combine multiple experimental techniques. This special journal issue presents five new empirical studies and one theoretical paper with peer commentaries, collectively examining how conscious mental states relate to brain activity patterns.
Predicting the stream of consciousness from activity in human visual cortex.
Current biology : CB July 26, 2005 John-Dylan Haynes, Geraint Rees
The stream of conscious experience, even when it changes rapidly and spontaneously, can be predicted from brain activity alone. Using binocular rivalry to induce frequent, involuntary shifts in perception without altering what the eyes see, researchers measured brain activity with fMRI. Multivariate pattern analysis of signals from visual cortex accurately tracked participants' reported conscious experience as it fluctuated. Prediction in primary visual cortex relied on eye-based signals, while higher visual areas reflected the color of the percept. Accurate prediction was also possible using signals recorded during stable viewing, showing the method generalizes across conditions and does not depend on motor responses.
Neural correlates of consciousness are not pictorial representations
Behavioral and Brain Sciences October 1, 2001 Geraint Rees, Chris Frith
O'Regan and Noë argue that a one-to-one correspondence between awareness and patterns of neural activity in the brain is impossible, making the project of identifying the neural correlates of consciousness doomed to fail. The authors of this response contend that such pessimism may be overstated, as recent empirical data show some convergence in describing consistent patterns of neural activity associated with visual consciousness.