The Global Neuronal Workspace Model of Conscious Access: From Neuronal Architectures to Clinical Applications

While a considerable body of experimental data has been accumulated on the differences between conscious and non-conscious processing, a theory is needed to bridge the neuro-psychological gap and establish a causal relationship between objective neurophysiological data and subjective reports. In the present review, we first briefly outline the detailed postulates and predictions of our working hypothesis, referred to as the global neuronal workspace (GNW) model. We then compare these predictions to experimental studies that have attempted to delineate the physiological signatures of conscious sensory perception by contrasting it with subliminal processing, using a variety of methods: behavioral, PET and fMRI imaging, time-resolved imaging with ERP and MEG, and finally single-cell electrophysiology. In a final section, we examine the relevance of these findings for pathologies of consciousness in coma and vegetative states.