The claustrum and consciousness: An update.
Yin Siang Liaw, George J. Augustine
Int J Clin Health Psychol September 7, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2023.100405 via PubMed Central
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe claustrum, a thin sheet of grey matter next to the insular cortex, was proposed by Crick and Koch in 2005 as possibly involved in consciousness. This review examines theories of consciousness and evaluates experimental evidence since 2005 to see if it supports or contradicts that hypothesis. It also suggests how future experiments could clarify how consciousness arises from neural activity and the claustrum's role.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 24 |
| Key finding | The review evaluates whether experimental evidence since 2005 supports or contradicts the hypothesis that the claustrum is involved in consciousness. |
Abstract
The seminal paper of Crick and Koch (2005) proposed that the claustrum, an enigmatic and thin grey matter structure that lies beside the insular cortex, may be involved in the processing of consciousness. As a result, this otherwise obscure structure has received ever-increasing interest in the search for neural correlates of consciousness. Here we review theories of consciousness and discuss the possible relationship between the claustrum and consciousness. We review relevant experimental evidence collected since the Crick and Koch (2005) paper and consider whether these findings support or contradict their hypothesis. We also explore how future experimental work can be designed to clarify how consciousness emerges from neural activity and to understand the role of the claustrum in consciousness.