Our Conscious Perception of the World Depends on This Deep Brain Structure
1 min read
Summary
Consciousness is one of the biggest mysteries of the brain, and one which scientists are still trying to get to the bottom of.
While several theories exist on how consciousness emerges in the human brain, there isn’t yet a definitive agreement on what consciousness actually is.
However, some neuroscientists are actively trying to find the areas and neural connections in the brain which support our perception of the world.
A new study, published in Science, suggests that the thalamus plays a major role.
The thalamus acts as a type of gate, allowing certain information to enter our consciousness, while preventing other signals from reaching our awareness.
The research could offer a key step towards understanding what happens in the moments before we become consciously aware of something.
