In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Athina Demertzi, PhD, a neuroscientist at the University of
Liège who studies human consciousness, especially in patients with severe brain injuries. We discussed her fascinating work on disorders of consciousness like the vegetative and minimally conscious states, and how brain imaging techniques have advanced our understanding of these conditions. We also talked about some treatments people have proposed for these conditions, including psychedelics.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction and Background

(01:58) - Defining Disorders of Consciousness: Coma, Vegetative, and Minimally Conscious States

(05:13) - Using Neuroimaging to Study Consciousness in Brain-Injured Patients

(07:36) - Predicting Recovery from Disorders of Consciousness

(09:51) - Auditory and Visual Cortex Communication in Conscious Patients

(15:16) - The Role of the Default Mode Network in Consciousness

(20:14) - Phase Coherence and Communication Across the Brain

(26:34) - Functional vs. Structural Connectivity in Consciousness

(28:24) - Theories of Consciousness: Global Workspace, Integrated Information, and Active Inference

(35:44) - Body-Brain Interactions in Anesthesia and Unconscious States