Very interesting results from a study on macaques:
Essentially, they zapped different areas of the brain and observed how the monkeys responded. When the central lateral thalamus was stimulated, the monkeys woke up and their brain function resumed — even though they were still under anesthesia.
“The animal went from being deeply anesthetized to opening his eyes, looking around the room, and even reaching out for objects within only a few seconds of the stimulation turning on,” Redinbaugh describes. “Shortly after the stimulation ended, he went back into unconsciousness like nothing happened.”
These stunning effects suggest that there is a reciprocal relationship between two areas of the brain — the central lateral thalamus and deep cortical layers — and this relationship operates like an “engine of consciousness,”