Manipulating Consciousness

Scientists Manipulate Consciousness in Rats

Study may guide deep brain stimulation therapies used for neurological disorders

NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke | December 17, 2015

Scientists showed that they could alter brain activity of rats and either wake them up or put them in an unconscious state by changing the firing rates of neurons in the central thalamus, a region known to regulate arousal. The study, published in eLIFE, was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health.
"Our results suggest the central thalamus works like a radio dial that tunes the brain to different states of activity and arousal," said Jin Hyung Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology, neurosurgery and bioengineering at Stanford University, and a senior author of the study.

Source: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/mice/brains.jpg

<more at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151217151716.htm; related links: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-12/nion-smc121715.php (Scientists manipulate consciousness in rats. NIH-funded study may guide deep brain stimulation therapies used for neurological disorders. December 17, 2015) and http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/34816/20151218/rat-consciousness-manipulated-scientists-new-method.htm (Rat Consciousness Manipulated by Scientists with New Method. December 18, 2015)>