Re: Gregg. If you are referring specifically to the topic of this thread then see the link in my first comment. You may also want to look at a commentary on said article linked below. 

If you are referring more to consciousness in general then that is a bit more challenging as far as what literature to recommend. I attached the Crick & Koch paper below if that is helpful.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1525505014005976

http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v6/n2/full/nn0203-119.html

Based on the citations of the 2014 paper it doesn't appear as though anyone has replicated those results yet. 

For reference see link.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1525505014002017

I have never heard of this but I am very interested. Consciousness is a new interest of mine and I would really appreciate if either of you could attach the relevant papers on the issue.

Thanks in advance!

Gregg

Re: Gregg. If you are referring specifically to the topic of this thread then see the link in my first comment. You may also want to look at a commentary on said article linked below. 

If you are referring more to consciousness in general then that is a bit more challenging as far as what literature to recommend. I attached the Crick & Koch paper below if that is helpful.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1525505014005976

http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v6/n2/full/nn0203-119.html

Dustin,

Thanks! That was what I was looking for

Gregg

This question (and Kubeissi's finding) is very interesting. I am no expert in the field, but followed a talk by Koch last month and expected him to rely heavily on this finding. Instead he quickly passed through this finding, and appeared from his talk that the claustrum is only one of the potential sites of consciousness. Nevertheless, one question remains without a clear answer to me. If claustrum is really the on-off switch for consciousness, how come many stroke patients with damaged claustrum do not show problems with consciousness.

Thank you Dustin! 

More once these links have been read...

I see no one is interested in the sub-question...

Adam, I read information regarding Kubeissi's  findings with his patient as noted below. 

An accidental discovery, this effect was uncovered during investigations into seizures. A 54-year-old woman fell into unconsciousness when a small electrical impulse was applied to the tiny, sheet-like claustrum. The patient exhibited no response to external stimuli during the time she was unconscious, and her breathing slowed significantly.

Please note it is stated here Kubesissi also found that the breathing slowed significantly. my paper on sleep hypothesis it clear that  breathing is the rhythm that changes all body rhythms including effect upon hypothalamus and cardiac rhythm. (Central pattern ) This affect actually leads to daily turning on of the sleep switch in humens. This happens when the breathing slows down and changes the tonic firing of Thalamus to burst firing. The thalamus is effectively cut off from cortex leading us to sleep. It is possible the claustrum of this patient triggered the slow breathing leading to thalamic rhythm change. Below is my article. I also have written several original articles on consciousness. Interesting question !

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260032693_Role_of_cardiorespiratory_synchronization_and_sleep_physiology_effects_on_membrane_potential_in_the_restorative_functions_of_sleep

Article Role of cardiorespiratory synchronization and sleep physiolo...