MRI brain scans taken while people are anaesthetised support the integrated information theory of consciousness
Andrew Brookes/Image Source/Getty Images
Brain scans taken as people slip into into anaesthesia are offering support for one of the foremost explanations of consciousness. The approach may lead to progress in understanding the brain as well as new ways to test awareness in people with medical conditions of consciousness, such as those in a vegetative state after head injuries.
Scientists and philosophers have long struggled to explain how the brain produces consciousness – the feeling of being aware of …