Complementary roles of neural synchrony and complexity for indexing consciousness and chances of surviving in acute coma.

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License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_63FAF51CD2AC
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Complementary roles of neural synchrony and complexity for indexing consciousness and chances of surviving in acute coma.
Journal
NeuroImage
Author(s)
Alnes S.L., Lucia M., Rossetti A.O., Tzovara A.
ISSN
1095-9572 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1053-8119
Publication state
Published
Issued date
15/12/2021
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
245
Pages
118638
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
An open challenge in consciousness research is understanding how neural functions are altered by pathological loss of consciousness. To maintain consciousness, the brain needs synchronized communication of information across brain regions, and sufficient complexity in neural activity. Coordination of brain activity, typically indexed through measures of neural synchrony, has been shown to decrease when consciousness is lost and to reflect the clinical state of patients with disorders of consciousness. Moreover, when consciousness is lost, neural activity loses complexity, while the levels of neural noise, indexed by the slope of the electroencephalography (EEG) spectral exponent decrease. Although these properties have been well investigated in resting state activity, it remains unknown whether the sensory processing network, which has been shown to be preserved in coma, suffers from a loss of synchronization or information content. Here, we focused on acute coma and hypothesized that neural synchrony in response to auditory stimuli would reflect coma severity, while complexity, or neural noise, would reflect the presence or loss of consciousness. Results showed that neural synchrony of EEG signals was stronger for survivors than non-survivors and predictive of patients' outcome, but indistinguishable between survivors and healthy controls. Measures of neural complexity and neural noise were not informative of patients' outcome and had high or low values for patients compared to controls. Our results suggest different roles for neural synchrony and complexity in acute coma. Synchrony represents a precondition for consciousness, while complexity needs an equilibrium between high or low values to support conscious cognition.
Keywords
Acoustic Stimulation, Case-Control Studies, Coma/etiology, Coma/mortality, Coma/physiopathology, Electroencephalography/methods, Female, Heart Arrest/complications, Humans, Male, Pilot Projects, Prognosis, Cardiac arrest, Coma, Consciousness, E/I balance, Electroencephalography (EEG), Neural complexity, Neural synchrony, Outcome prognosis
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Funding(s)
Swiss National Science Foundation / 320030_188737
University of Lausanne
Create date
29/10/2021 8:24
Last modification date
23/03/2023 6:52
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