Consciousness: a neurological perspective.

Andrea Cavanna, S Shah, Clare Eddy, Adrian Williams, Hugh Rickards

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Consciousness is a state so essentially entwined with human experience, yet so difficult to conceptually define and measure. In this article, we explore how a bidimensional model of consciousness involving both level of arousal and subjective awareness of the contents of consciousness can be used to differentiate a range of healthy and altered conscious states. These include the different sleep stages of healthy individuals and the altered states of consciousness associated with neurological conditions such as epilepsy, vegetative state and coma. In particular, we discuss how arousal and awareness are positively correlated in normal physiological states with the exception of REM sleep, while a disturbance in this relationship is characteristic of vegetative state, minimally conscious state, complex partial seizures and sleepwalking.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)107-116
Number of pages10
JournalBehavioural neurology
Volume24
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2011

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