Channels to consciousness: a possible role of gap junctions in consciousness

Abstract

The neurophysiological basis of consciousness is still unknown and one of the most challenging questions in the field of neuroscience and related disciplines. We propose that consciousness is characterized by the maintenance of mental representations of internal and external stimuli for the execution of cognitive operations. Consciousness cannot exist without working memory, and it is likely that consciousness and working memory share the same neural substrates. Here, we present a novel psychological and neurophysiological framework that explains the role of consciousness for cognition, adaptive behavior, and everyday life. A hypothetical architecture of consciousness is presented that is organized as a system of operation and storage units named platforms that are controlled by a consciousness center (central executive/online platform). Platforms maintain mental representations or contents, are entrusted with different executive functions, and operate at different levels of consciousness. The model includes conscious-mode central executive/online and mental time travel platforms and semiconscious steady-state and preconscious standby platforms. Mental representations or contents are represented by neural circuits and their support cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, etc.) and become conscious when neural circuits reverberate, that is, fire sequentially and continuously with relative synchronicity. Reverberatory activity in neural circuits may be initiated and maintained by pacemaker cells/neural circuit pulsars, enhanced electronic coupling via gap junctions, and unapposed hemichannel opening. The central executive/online platform controls which mental representations or contents should become conscious by recruiting pacemaker cells/neural network pulsars, the opening of hemichannels, and promoting enhanced neural circuit coupling via gap junctions.

Conscious knowledge of CS-UCS contingency information affects extinction retrieval of conditioned disgust responses: Findings from an online de novo disgust conditioning task

“…Both, the acquisition and extinction of fear seem to rely on a number of cognitive top down processes ( Hofmann, 2008 ). Contingency instructions, which might induce conscious processing of contingency information ( Dere et al, 2020 ; Hütter et al, 2012 ; Luck & Lipp, 2016 ; Mertens & Engelhard, 2020 ), have been studied as a way of influencing fear acquisition, extinction and return of fear. In our study, the announcement that no disgust pictures (UCS) will be presented during the extinction phase had no significant effect on the contingency ratings in the extinction phase, since informed and non-informed groups showed similar contingency ratings.…”

“…A recently formulated theory on conscious information processing, the platform theory, holds that the brain enters a conscious operation mode, whenever mental representations of stimuli (that includes spatio-temporal contingencies), associations, concepts, memories, and experiences are effortfully maintained (in working memory) and actively manipulated to generate an adaptive response to acute challenges in the environment ( Dere et al, 2020 ; Zlomuzica & Dere, 2022 ). It is conceivable that the contingency instruction given prior to the extinction experience has induced a conscious information processing mode in the instructed group that re-activated the memories of the disgust pictures, as well as the learned CS-UCS contingencies, to be maintained in working memory and to be reprocessed in the light of the following experiences in the extinction session.…”