Title
Hierarchical disruption in the cortex of anesthetized monkeys as a new signature of consciousness loss
Abstract
Anesthesia induces a reconfiguration of the repertoire of functional brain states leading to a high function-structure similarity. However, it is unclear how these functional changes lead to loss of consciousness. Here we suggest that the mechanism of conscious access is related to a general dynamical rearrangement of the intrinsic hierarchical organization of the cortex. To measure cortical hierarchy, we applied the Intrinsic Ignition analysis to resting-state fMRI data acquired in awake and anesthetized macaques. Our results reveal the existence of spatial and temporal hierarchical differences of neural activity within the macaque cortex, with a strong modulation by the depth of anesthesia and the employed anesthetic agent. Higher values of Intrinsic Ignition correspond to rich and flexible brain dynamics whereas lower values correspond to poor and rigid, structurally driven brain dynamics. Moreover, spatial and temporal hierarchical dimensions are disrupted in a different manner, involving different hierarchical brain networks. All together suggest that disruption of brain hierarchy is a new signature of consciousness loss.
Year
DOI
Venue
2021
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117618
NeuroImage
Keywords
DocType
Volume
Anesthesia,Integration,Ignition,Measures of Consciousness,IIT,GNW
Journal
227
ISSN
Citations 
PageRank 
1053-8119
0
0.34
References 
Authors
0
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Camilo Miguel Signorelli100.34
Lynn Uhrig2122.66
Morten L. Kringelbach318521.07
Béchir Jarraya4132.83
G. Deco58321.12