Active consciousness and the prefrontal cortex

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Active consciousness and the prefrontal cortex: A working-memory

approach.

 

 

To make the following text more understandable, the 'working memory'

(WM) and 'short term memory' (STM) is the same.

 

Imagine each memory neuron is respresented as a LED (Light Emitting

Diode). Each time such a LED is switched on and active then it

represents a tiny bit of consciousness and when when it is switched

off and not active then it just is memory not being conscious. Maybe

this metaphor will help a bit to understand why consciousness is

memory.

 

Btw, each sense like hearing, seeing, feeling etc is made conscious

in different memory parts of the brain in the frontal lobe. These

conscious parts are coordinated to let them all appear as one single

homogeneous consciousness.

 

Enjoy the following text.

 

 

Werner

 

 

Abstract; Biological studies of human consciousness based on recent

neuroimaging experiments, i.e., functional magnetic resonance imaging

(fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), were reviewed from the

viewpoint of different functions of consciousness. A biological

hierarchy of consciousness structured in three levels, i.e., arousal,

awareness and self-consciousness, was reviewed in connection with

working memory. We found that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

(PFC), anterior cingulate cortex, medial PFC, and parieto-temporal

junction area play a crucial role in social cognition involving

estimation of the mental states of other people. The ventrolateral

PFC plays a role in language-based rehearsal/imitation in connection

with a mirror system. Frontal pole and orbitofrontal areas are also

likely to contribute to generation of self function, reward

expectancy and internal planning of goal-directed behavior.

Interestingly, we found that these various PFC and related areas

strongly contribute to active consciousness based on the working

memory system. Furthermore, we have shown that a theory-of-mind

approach could be closely related to higher cognitive functions

involved in working memory, which has a meta-recognition processes

during mentalization. (author abst.)