In search of me: a theoretical approach to identify the neural substrate of consciousness

A major neuroscientific challenge is to identify the neural mechanisms that support consciousness. Though experimental studies have accumulated evidence about the location of the neural substrate of consciousness, we still lack a full understanding of why certain brain areas, but not others, can support consciousness. In this talk, I will give an overview of our approach, taking advantage of the theoretical framework provided by Integrated Information Theory (IIT). First, I will introduce results showing that a maximum of integrated information within the human brain matches our best evidence concerning the location of the NSC, supporting the IIT’s prediction. Furthermore, I will discuss the possibility that the NSC can change its location and even split into two depending on the task demand. Finally, based on some graph-theoretical analyses, I will argue that the ability of different brain regions to contribute or not to consciousness depends on specific properties of their anatomical connectivity, which determines their ability to support high integrated information.