Thalamic Influence Over Adaptive Cortical Dynamics Across Conscious States

Summary The human brain must support both stable and flexible neural dynamics in order to adapt to changing contexts that are inherently non-linear. The thalamus has been linked to the coordination of these opposing dynamical regimens in the cerebral cortex, however existing methodological approaches have not integrated sufficient neurobiological details with a sensitive measure of neural dynamics that permits sensitivity to time-series non-linearities. Inspired by the field of fluid dynamics, we use a novel approach to show that spontaneous fMRI data exhibits non-trivial fluctuations in predictability over time, akin to a river that has sections of smooth and predictable (laminar) versus rough and unpredictable (non-laminar) fluid flow. We use a combination of pharmacological fMRI, macaque electrophysiology and a large-scale biophysical model of the thalamocortical system to provide robust evidence that the thalamus provides versatile control over globally linear dynamics in the cerebral cortex that characterize conscious states. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Footnotes We've added descriptions of the linear dynamics in the form of their corresponding dynamic modes supporting adaptive timescales across the cerebral cortex.