Disorders of Consciousness: Anatomical and Physiological Mechanisms
The anatomical and physiological mechanisms of consciousness are reviewed, focussing on the wakefulness mechanisms, which are one aspect, albeit an indispensable one, of consciousness. In trying to understand disorders of consciousness, it must be remembe
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I.N.S.E.R.M. U480, Claude Bernard University, Lyon, France With 3 Figures Contents
Abstract...................................................................... Introduction.................................................................. The Wake-Sleep Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phenomenology ........................................................... Regulation................................................................. Wakefulness Network....................................................... The Posterior Hypothalamus ............................................. Histamine Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orexin/Hypocretin Network............................................ Brainstem Acetylcholine and Amine Networks........................... The Serotonin System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tentative Functions of the Wake System................................... Effect of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Performances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Abstract The anatomical and physiological mechanisms of consciousness are reviewed, focussing on the wakefulness mechanisms, which are one aspect, albeit an indispensable one, of consciousness. In trying to understand disorders of consciousness, it must be remembered that wake physiology is linked to sleep physiology and a brief summary of the phenomenology and regulation of the wake sleep cycle is therefore presented. Wakefulness is produced and maintained by a complex neural network composed of at least ten groups of neurones, which spread out from the medulla oblongata to the telencephalic structures. Some of these elements (reticular formation and diffuse thalamic nuclei) contribute to the arousal and general activation of the brain, while others (aminergic and peptiderJ. D. Pickard et al. (eds.), Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery © Springer-Verlag Wien 2004
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gic neurones) contribute to the quality of wakefulness, as well as to general activation. Disorders of wakefulness may be due to dysfunction of one or several elements of the wake network or sleep disorders, as well as to sleep deprivation. Keywords: Consciousness; sleep physiology; wakefulness; biogenic amines;
orexine.
Introduction Any discussion of the physiology of consciousness requires a precise definition of consciousness. Classically, «to be conscious» means to be awake, as opposed to unconscious or asleep. In addition, «to be conscious of» something means to be aware of it, and refers to mental activity or cognition (perception, computation, meditation, movement representation, etc) (Rees et al. 2002). Recent research on cognition
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