Human visual consciousness involves large scale cortical and subcortical networks independent of task report and eye movement activity

The full neural circuits of conscious perception remain unknown. Using a visual perception task, we directly recorded a subcortical thalamic awareness potential (TAP). We also developed a unique paradigm to classify perceived versus not perceived stimuli using eye measurements to remove confounding signals related to reporting on conscious experiences. Using fMRI, we discovered three major brain networks driving conscious visual perception independent of report: first, increases in signal detection regions in visual, fusiform cortex, and frontal eye fields; and in arousal/salience networks involving midbrain, thalamus, nucleus accumbens, anterior cingulate, and anterior insula; second, increases in frontoparietal attention and executive control networks and in the cerebellum; finally, decreases in the default mode network. These results were largely maintained after excluding eye movement-based fMRI changes. Our findings provide evidence that the neurophysiology of consciousness is complex even without overt report, involving multiple cortical and subcortical networks overlapping in space and time. Isolating the neural mechanisms of consciousness is complicated by task report and other irrelevant signals. Here, the authors removed report and eye movement confounds to uncover large scale cortical-subcortical networks specific for human visual consciousness.

Automated summary

This study identified large-scale cortical-subcortical networks associated with conscious visual perception. The results demonstrate that the neurophysiology of consciousness is complex, involving multiple cortical and subcortical networks overlapping in space and time.