Placing meta-stable states of consciousness within the predictive coding hierarchy: The deceleration of the accelerated prediction error

Conscious Cogn. 2018 Aug:63:123-142. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2018.06.010. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

Abstract

While many studies have linked prediction errors and event related potentials at a single processing level, few consider how these responses interact across levels. In response, we present a factorial analysis of a multi-level oddball task - the local-global task - and we explore it when participants are sedated versus recovered. We found that the local and global levels in fact interact. This is of considerable current interest, since it has recently been argued that the MEEG response evoked by the global effect corresponds to a distinct processing mode that moves beyond predictive coding. This interaction suggests that the two processing modes are not distinct. Additionally, we observed that sedation modulates this interaction, suggesting that conscious awareness may not be completely restricted to a single (global) processing level.

Keywords: Cluster-based analysis; EEG; Levels of consciousness; Local-global task; Mismatch negativity; Sedation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / physiology
  • Conscious Sedation
  • Consciousness* / drug effects
  • Consciousness* / physiology
  • Electroencephalography / drug effects
  • Evoked Potentials, Auditory / drug effects
  • Evoked Potentials, Auditory / physiology
  • Humans
  • Hypnotics and Sedatives / pharmacology
  • Propofol / pharmacology
  • Psychological Theory
  • Psychomotor Performance / drug effects
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology

Substances

  • Hypnotics and Sedatives
  • Propofol