Figure 1.

Switch and wave of neuronal activity in the first second of conscious perception. (a) Shortly after stimulus onset (0–200 ms), information enters primary visual cortex causing activation (red). Stimuli that are detected and later reported as Perceived also activate higher order association cortices. This triggers a polysynaptic “Switch” that inhibits the default mode network, inhibits the primary visual and higher order association cortex, and initiates a processing “Wave.” (b) During the processing phase (200–600 ms), a wave of activation propagates through hierarchical unimodal visual association cortices and higher-order heteromodal association cortices including the medial temporal lobe for memory encoding. The default mode network, primary visual and higher association cortex remain deactivated (blue). (c) During the late periods (~600+ ms) following processing, the visual cortex and higher association cortices reactivate as subjects prepare to report their perception. Deactivation continues in default mode network.