Neurons in the subthalamic nucleus and thalamus, subcortical brain regions traditionally linked to motor and cognitive control, also play a role in perceptual consciousness. Recording single-neuron activity in patients undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery, researchers found that a significant proportion of these neurons changed their firing rate while participants anticipated a weak vibrotactile stimulus. The firing rate of 23% of these neurons differed between detected and undetected stimuli. This direct neurophysiological evidence suggests that subcortical structures contribute to conscious detection, challenging the prevailing cortico-centric view of the neural correlates of consciousness.
Neurons in the subthalamic nucleus and thalamus, subcortical brain structures, modulate their activity during expectation of a weak vibrotactile stimulus on the hand, and 23% of these neurons show firing rates that differ between detected and undetected stimuli. This provides direct neurophysiological evidence that these subcortical regions are involved in perceptual consciousness, challenging the prevailing cortico-centric view.