Animation made for the Cognitive Science Forum - PARIS 2013 - Cognivence association.

Through this short animation, we attempt to explain the conditions of consciousness and its altered states, because consciousness requires the simultaneous activity of two "things" to be effective.

To be conscious, there must indeed be activation of cortical functions on the one hand, and on the other hand that of wakefulness.

Disable wakefulness, and you will find yourself unconscious, asleep.

Render cortical functions ineffective but keep wakefulness active: this is the vegetative state.
In case of uneffective cortical functions, but with an active awake state : here is the vegetative state.

Disable everything: it is brain death.