On why the unconscious prerequisites and consequences of consciousness might derail us from unraveling the neural correlates of consciousness

Identifying the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) is considered a key step toward understanding consciousness. Typical experiments contrast conditions with and without conscious perception, but this contrast captures not only neural activity directly tied to conscious experience but also prerequisites and consequences of that perception. To isolate the true neural basis of conscious experience, researchers must disentangle the NCC from these confounding processes. This review discusses recent experimental developments and proposes new empirical approaches to more precisely isolate the neural activity underlying conscious perception.

Study at a glance

Abstract

It has been proposed that one key step for solving the mystery of consciousness is to locate the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC). The experimental paradigms for revealing the NCC have commonly applied the contrast between conditions with and without conscious perception. However, such contrast does not exclusively reveal the neural processes directly related to conscious experience of the target but also the prerequisites for and the consequences of conscious perception. Therefore, understanding the neural bases of conscious experience requires the NCC to be experimentally disentangled from these confounding processes. Here we review some recent experimental developments and suggest some new empirical approaches for distilling the neural basis of conscious perception.