Midbrain–Thalamus Rhythm Identified as a Consciousness Signature

Researchers found a 20–45 Hz thalamic oscillation, recorded via implanted electrodes in epilepsy patients, that occurs only during wakefulness and REM sleep and vanishes in non-REM sleep. This robust bio‑signature of consciousness could enable real‑time monitoring of brain states and guide adaptive deep‑brain stimulation therapies for neurological disorders, representing a potential clinical tool and a new window into how the brain sustains conscious states.