Chapter 12 Synchrony and consciousness

Modern neuroscience demonstrates that the emergence of consciousness requires the synchronous interaction of various brain mechanisms which are represented by specific brain areas. Therefore, studying the oscillatory behavior of neuronal networks provides insights into the functioning of the brain in order to fulfill mental tasks that are required to build up the functional frame in which consciousness as a human experience can take place. Thus, an experience of complex contents within one moment in time requires simultaneous activations and information exchange between numerous brain areas. This can be demonstrated in the study of dysfunctions of specific brain regions but also through the analysis of electrical brain oscillations in healthy people. Consciousness however not only requires the brain itself. Moreover, the whole body is involved especially in the production of emotions. Damasio’s theory of emotions is discussed in this context. The interaction between brain and other body processes also requires time-sensitive signal-flows. The coherence between heart and brain and possible synchronicities between biophoton emission in body parts and brain electrical processes are questions in ongoing research. Further, possible synchronicities between consciousness-related body processes and phenomena outside the body are discussed. It is still questionable whether the brain waves interact with the electromagnetic field of the Schumann resonance, i.e. the natural resonance of the geosphere that vibrates with about 8 Hz, a frequency that is within the range of the brains theta waves. Finally, research trying to uncover possible synchronicities in distant brains of closely related people is presented that focuses on the question whether telepathic phenomena can be measured. To summarize it can be stated that synchronicities between body functions especially brain processes are relevant for the neuronal basis of phenomena related to consciousness. However, the influence of electromagnetic phenomena outside the brain on brain states still remains speculative and needs further research. Thilo Hinterberger et al. 230 Correspondence/Reprint request: Dr. Thilo Hinterberger, Section of Applied Consciousness Sciences, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany. E-mail: thilo.hinterberger@klinik.uni-regensburg.de 1. Introducing a mystery called consciousness To illustrate the phenomenon of consciousness, we can use the picture of a very exclusive party, a dinner for only one, to which the other 7 billion people (and especially the scientists) are neither invited nor admitted. Moreover, everybody can throw their individual party in a nearly inaccessible space inside their head. However, scientists seem to be like curious neighbors, almost like spies. They have developed instruments and methods to spy upon what happens inside these secret rooms. The recent results of this enterprise have given rise to new rumors and hypotheses, (some of them quite unconfirmed) about the hidden procedures we are used to call “consciousness”. Their interpretations are lined up in a wide range between the still much appreciated idea of an immaterial spirit and the somehow disappointing conception that our valued “self” might be nothing but an illusion created by the arbitrary neuronal fireworks of a horde of cells. If we consider our consciousness and ourselves in an introspective way, we recognize a natural and likewise surprising state: unity and coherence. This experience prevails in spite of, and even against, our knowledge of the multitude and diversity of elements, which physically, chemically and biologically constitute our brain and form our mind (e.g., perception, memory, cognition.). Furthermore, confronted with the enormous diversity of the perceived world around us, this brain or mind seems to create order and entity in an astonishingly easy and effortless way. For centuries the explanation of this experience seemed to be obvious: There had to be a pre-existing blueprint for the architecture of the world and an observing person-like, separate instance in our mind, which constructs and reflects unity and coherence inside and outside of man – an idea that can be traced back to the considerations of Descartes, John Lockes and even Thomas of Aquin. The homunculus-model was born and the best way to understand human consciousness henceforth seemed to elucidate the nature, work and localization of this enigmatic instance. This model basically is dualistic and nowadays often criticized in general (Dennett, 1991). Even if it appears in new clothing as some kind of distributed neural network (Crick & Koch, 2003) or global workspace (Baars, 1988), the dualistic character remains. We should bear that in mind when looking at some of the impressive research linking brain functions to consciousness. On the other hand, none of the current theorists seem to really explain the qualia the subjective qualities of experiences such as the redSynchrony and consciousness 231 ness of red or the painfulness of pain. How private subjective experiences can emerge from objective matter remains an unsolved question. Let us apply the party picture another time to the occurrence of consciousness within our brains: However, now we have a very exclusive party with tenth of billions of neurons sitting together, chatting and communicating quite organized in order to create one single unique experience which we call consciousness. Therefore, to understand the phenomenon of consciousness, it is not enough to ask for the firing rates of single neurons but rather to ask ensembles of neurons about their connections and coherence and their contribution to the state of the whole system. One of the first essential findings in modern neuroscience regarding the activation of single neurons and its influence on coherent brain activations was formulated by Hebb in 1949. Hebb’s rule says that neurons that fire together wire together, a dictum, which still is regarded as a basis for all learning processes and neuronal reorganization. This rule expresses the importance of connectivity, relationship and coherence of cell assemblies in order to generate a consistent conscious perception and personality. Taking a closer look at the issues of unity and coherence, on the following pages we shall present a short overview of some insights in neural mechanisms under the special perspective of coherence of neuronal cells, oscillatory neural networks and temporal patterning of neuronal activity. We shall touch upon the question of how emotion and various body processes are related to the emergence of consciousness and we shall introduce some approaches and questions that might be interesting for future exploration. 2. Consciousness and coherence within the brain 2.1. An experimental paradigm illustrating the basic questions Sometimes very simple experiences of everyday life lead to fundamental questions. Concerning the field of brain and visual awareness, ambiguous figures are a good example for an experience provoking questions on the nature of mind. The pictures of the famous painter Arcimboldo are wellknown in this context since they show faces which are composed of fruits or the black silhouette, which can be perceived as a vase or as two faces. An even more astonishing figure is the Necker cube (Figure 1). Looking at it for some time the perception switches between the two representations. They are equally possible interpretations of one real object, obviously competing in consciousness. Moreover, one may even achieve to make this change happen deliberately (Blackmore, 2005). This very simple figure provides a fine opportunity to reveal the neural correlates of a particular experience by imposing some basic questions. How Thilo Hinterberger et al. 232 are features of an object detected and bound together in the brain (a question which is known as binding problem)? Is there parallel unconscious information we can refer to when the representation changes? Which parts of the brain are activated and altered at the moment of the flipping information? What is the mechanism that makes this change happen? Following these and other questions, we can detect certain brain areas like e.g. V1 (the early part of visual cortex), V4 (later visual areas) and parts of the temporal cortex, which are related to the processing of visual information (Koch, 2005). But have we located consciousness in the brain this way? Figure 1. Two ambiguous figures are the vase on a) and the Necker cube (b) in which the surface can be seen as shown in the top or the bottom shape. Figure 2. Model of conscious perception. a) visual information is guided to the primary visual areas in the occipital cortex first before it activates further cortical areas. b) the interconnectivity of large cell assemblies in the entire cortex as illustrated by the lines within the various brain areas contribute to an internal representation of the outside world. c) the subjective conscious experience of this representation is a second level process which is schematically illustrated by the eye in the middle of the brain. Synchrony and consciousness 233 Recent theories seem to let this expectation down. They regard consciousness as a far more complex “event”, which is not rooted in a certain brain area or in some specialized cells, but is instead based on a widespread neural network. According to their view consciousness might be understood as a function of numerous interacting brain systems and circuits. Thus, for these new approaches, theories of binding and of neural synchrony and cross-system coherence are in the focus of interest (Engel & Singer, 2001). Figure 2 illustrates this picture of consciousness evolving through the interconnectivity. 2.2. The neural correlates of consciousness The hypothesis (or “framework” as Crick and Koch prefer to describe it) of neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) was designed with two s