Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40309823›Full record

ArticleBrain sciences2025

The Neural Correlates of Consciousness: A Spectral Exponent Approach to Diagnosing Disorders of Consciousness.

Ying Zhao, Anqi Wang, Weiqiao Zhao, Nantu Hu, Steven Laureys, Haibo Di

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Brain sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Ying ZhaoInternational Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome and Consciousness Science Institute, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.
Anqi WangInternational Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome and Consciousness Science Institute, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.
Weiqiao ZhaoInternational Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome and Consciousness Science Institute, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.
Nantu HuInternational Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome and Consciousness Science Institute, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.
Steven LaureysInternational Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome and Consciousness Science Institute, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.
Haibo DiInternational Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome and Consciousness Science Institute, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.

Funding

Key Project Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation Z21H170001National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFC3601201National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFE0141300National Natural Science Foundation of China 81920108023
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesDisorder of consciousness (DoC) poses diagnostic challenges due to behavioral assessment limitations. This study evaluates the spectral exponent (SE)-a neurophysiological biomarker quantifying the decay slope of electroencephalography (EEG) aperiodic activity-as an objective tool for consciousness stratification and clinical behavior scores correlation.

methodsThe study involved 15 DoC patients, nine conscious brain-injured controls (BI), and 23 healthy controls (HC). Resting-state 32-channel EEG data were analyzed to compute SE across broadband (1-40 Hz) and narrowband (1-20 Hz, 20-40 Hz). Statistical frameworks included Bonferroni-corrected Kruskal-Wallis H tests, Bayesian ANOVA, and correlation analyses with CRS-R behavioral scores.

resultsNarrowband SE (1-20 Hz) showed superior diagnostic sensitivity, differentiating DoC from controls (HC vs. DoC:

conclusionsNarrowband SE (1-20 Hz) is a robust biomarker for consciousness quantification, overcoming behavioral assessment subjectivity. Its correlation with visual function highlights potential clinical utility. Future studies should validate SE in larger cohorts and integrate multimodal neuroimaging.

Indexed as

disorder of consciousnessEEG biomarkerspectral exponent

Identifiers

PMID40309823
PMCPMC12026104

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.