Establishing a Research Network to Guide Foundational Research on Human Consciousness

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking to establish a Research Network to guide foundational research on human consciousness. The goal of this initiative is to advance understanding of the neural mechanisms that support conscious states, which will strengthen clinical decision-making and improve outcomes for patients with neurologic and systemic illnesses. The Research Network will develop coordination frameworks, standards, and infrastructure to unite expertise from various fields, including neuroscience, neurology, psychiatry, psychology, anesthesiology, sleep and meditation research, computational science, AI, bioethics, and philosophy. The Network will also provide interdisciplinary cross-training opportunities to strengthen U.S. leadership and cultivate a highly trained workforce. Some of the key areas of focus include: • Detecting consciousness in minimally responsive patients to guide prognosis, treatment, and ethical decisions • Improving understanding of consciousness in Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias, and delirium • Investigating altered states in mental disorders to inform treatments • Identifying sentience and state transitions under anesthesia and during recovery • Advancing knowledge of sleep states and improving treatments for insomnia and other sleep disorders • Exploring non-sensory visual perception to deepen insight into mental health • Evaluating therapeutic effects of consciousness-modulating interventions • Applying New Approach Methodologies to study human consciousness.