The
unconscious mind is an area of much debate. There are many unanswered questions
about what exactly the lack of consciousness entails. Therefore, it is a topic
still open to further study, and an optimum way of doing so is through the
application of anesthesia. Anesthesia allows for the examination of a
relatively healthy brain that is no longer in a conscious state. In her article
“Anesthesia Study Opens Window into Consciousness”, Maia Szalavitz speaks of a
new study that examines what happens to brain cells when patients are
anesthetized.
This
study was made possible due to three patients undergoing treatment for
epilepsy. The treatment entailed the implantation of electrodes into the brain to
find problem regions. Another operation was necessary afterwards to fix these
problem areas; the procedure required the use of anesthesia. The electrodes that
were implanted from the previous surgery allowed the scientists to observe the
brain activity that followed the loss of consciousness due to anesthesia.
The
scientists found that as the brain descended into an unconscious state, a wave
of electrical activity, operating at a much slower frequency than during
consciousness, starts to oscillate. This oscillating pattern silences the
neurons, meaning they can only be active for brief intervals. This behavior of
the neurons prevents parts of the brain from communicating with each other,
which supports the idea that consciousness is due to a network of interactions
between various areas of the brain, not simply stemming from a single part of
the brain.
Others
have recognized the importance of anesthesia to investigate consciousness. The
author of The Ravenous Brain, Daniel Bor speaks of his own experience
under anesthesia after experiencing a knee injury. He explains that most
anesthetics increase the production of the neurotransmitter gamma-amino butyric
acid, which dampens neuronal activity throughout the cortext. This would
coincide with the oscillating pattern scientists observed in the Szalavitz
article.
Under
the influence of a general anesthetic, Bor was able to perform many basic
functions. He was able to continue respiration, maintain his core body
temperature, and generate strong brainwaves. The ability to function at a
certain level without consciousness brought him to the question of how the
neural labor involved in learning and decision making is actually divided
between the conscious and the unconscious.
In
his writing, Bor supports the notion that unconscious processing is limited to
simple thoughts, while complex information must be processed though the
conscious mind. But he also explains that although consciousness is needed for
complex learning to occur, once the knowledge has been assimilated to, it can
be automatically recalled. This leads him to along the line of thought that
since the unconscious can be involved in learning, it may also play a crucial
role in the decision making process.
There
is always the disturbing possibility that perhaps every human decision is
driven by the unconscious instincts to survive and reproduce, and although the
conscious mind is capable of processing information, its function is only
superfluous. Bor argues that the human conscious mind has the unique ability to
analyze the consequences of our actions. He states is may be possible to make
conscious decisions by fighting for control of decision making into the
conscious mind.
Today,
the unconscious mind is an area of much intrigue. There are many views, such as
Bor’s, that exist trying to define what exactly the unconscious mind entails
and how it effects the functions of human beings. The best way to learn more
about this topic is through further study. Discovering more about the
unconscious mind through innovative techniques, such as the anesthesia
scientists used in the Szalavitz article, may help resolve some of these
questions once and for all.
References:
Bor, D. (2012). The Ravenous Brain: How the
New Science of Consciousness Explains Our Insatiable Search
for Meaning. New York: Basic Books.
Szalavitz, M. (2012, November 06). Anesthesia Study
Opens Window into Consciousness.Time Magazine.
Retrieved from
No comments:
Post a Comment