EEG oscillatory states as neuro-phenomenology of consciousness as revealed from patients in vegetative and minimally conscious states.
Consciousness and cognition March 1, 2012 Alexander A Fingelkurts, Andrew A Fingelkurts, Sergio Bagnato et al. 91 citations
Resting electroencephalogram (EEG) microstates—brief, recurring patterns of brain activity—relate to levels of consciousness in brain-damaged patients and healthy individuals. A reduced number of microstate types was associated with altered consciousness, and unawareness corresponded to a lack of diversity in alpha-rhythmic microstates. Delta-, theta-, and slow-alpha-rhythmic microstates were more probable and longer during unawareness, whereas fast-alpha-rhythmic microstates were linked to consciousness. The findings suggest resting EEG can reveal neural correlates of consciousness, with potential implications for clinical care and medical-legal decisions for patients with disorders of consciousness.