Fluctuations in Arousal Correlate with Neural Activity in the Human Thalamus.

ABSTRACT: The neural basis of consciousness has been explored in humans and animals; however, the exact nature of consciousness remains elusive. In this study, we aimed to elucidate which brain regions are relevant to arousal in humans. Simultaneous recordings of brain activity and eye-tracking were conducted in 20 healthy human participants. Brain activity was measured by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging with a multiband acquisition protocol. The subjective levels of arousal were investigated based on the degree of eyelid closure that was recorded using a near-infrared eye camera within the scanner. The results showed that the participants were in an aroused state for 79% of the scan time, and the bilateral thalami were significantly associated with the arousal condition. Among t

SUBMITTER: Iidaka T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8455340 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature