Recent studies in 2025 are reshaping our understanding of consciousness, challenging the long-held belief that the prefrontal cortex is the primary seat of conscious thought. Research indicates that consciousness may arise from the interplay between visual processing areas and frontal areas involved in transforming perception into thoughts.
A study led by Dr. Fang Zepeng from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) utilized direct brain recordings to examine the thalamus, a region previously thought only to relay sensory signals. The findings suggest the thalamus actively shapes what we notice, with specific high-order sections playing a pivotal role in conscious perception.
These high-order areas, including the intralaminar and medial thalamic nuclei, exhibit strong signals and synchronized activity with the prefrontal cortex when individuals report conscious awareness. This thalamus-prefrontal cortex interaction suggests awareness is not confined to the outer brain layers but shaped by dialogue across multiple regions. This research offers new tools to rethink old theories and redefines the starting point for awareness.