Study: Brain Signals May Reveal States of Consciousness

Prof. Dr. Tobias Staudigl demonstrates how deep brain signals can distinguish between wakefulness and sleep.
An LMU research team led by neuropsychologist Tobias Staudigl has discovered a brain rhythm that distinguishes between states of consciousness.

Tobias Staudigl is a professor in the Chair of Neuropsychology and Biological Psychology and head of the work group for Cognitive Neuropsychology. In collaboration with PD Dr. Elisabeth Kaufmann (Neurology, LMU), his team has identified a brain rhythm that distinguishes between different states of consciousness.

The study, published in *Nature Human Behaviour*, shows that rapid activity in the thalamus occurs exclusively during wakefulness and REM sleep, but not during dreamless non-REM sleep. For their investigations, the researchers used recordings from implanted electrodes that had been placed as part of epilepsy treatment. This allowed them to directly measure the activity of this structure located deep within the brain. The results suggest that the observed signals could serve as biological markers for states of consciousness. In the long term, a better understanding of this brain activity could help researchers investigate neurological disorders more effectively and further develop existing therapies.

You can find the full article in the lmu.de newsroom.