This paper investigates the neurobiological encoding of consciousness dimensions like awareness and wakefulness. It hypothesizes that these dimensions are encoded in multiple neurofunctional dimensions of the brain, specifically within cortical gradients—continua of the brain's functional geometry. The study analyzes cortical gradients in various states of consciousness (healthy awake, anesthetized, and patients with neuropathological or psychiatric conditions) and demonstrates that disruptions of consciousness are linked to degradation of one or more major cortical gradients. Network-specific reconfigurations within the multidimensional cortical gradient space correlate with behavioral unresponsiveness and temporal disruption of dynamic brain states. The findings provide a unifying neurofunctional framework for multiple dimensions of human consciousness.

Zirui Huang, George A. Mashour, Anthony G. Hudetz