Dopaminergic brainstem disconnection is common to pharmacological and pathological consciousness perturbation.

ABSTRACT: Clinical research into consciousness has long focused on cortical macroscopic networks and their disruption in pathological or pharmacological consciousness perturbation. Despite demonstrating diagnostic utility in disorders of consciousness (DoC) and monitoring anesthetic depth, these cortico-centric approaches have been unable to characterize which neurochemical systems may underpin consciousness alterations. Instead, preclinical experiments have long implicated the dopaminergic ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the brainstem. Despite dopaminergic agonist efficacy in DoC patients equally pointing to dopamine, the VTA has not been studied in human perturbed consciousness. To bridge this translational gap between preclinical subcortical and clinical cortico-centric perspectives, we assessed

SUBMITTER: Spindler LRB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8325270 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature