The Emergence of Infant Consciousness: Insights from Neuroscience…
Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
Neuroscience continues the exploration of infant consciousness… and that exploration continues to lead us to ethically challenging territories.
Until the 1980s, medical practices routinely subjected newborns to surgeries without anesthesia, under the assumption of their lack of awareness.
Recent research challenges the notion that consciousness only arises after birth or within the first year of life.
A review of studies suggests that some form of consciousness may emerge even before birth, particularly towards the end of the third trimester…
Professor Tim Bayne, the study's lead author, notes the curiosity many have about infant consciousness, given our inability to recall our own infancy. Consciousness researchers have been debating the timing of consciousness emergence in infants. It's a good thing Tim is a philosopher, too.
Infants, while limited in visual and cognitive abilities early on, show advanced sensitivity to auditory stimuli, particularly their mother's voice and native language. They also exhibit responses to music, indicating an early sensitivity to rhythm.
“Nearly everyone who has held a newborn infant has wondered what, if anything, it is like to be a baby. But of course, we cannot remember our infancy, and consciousness researchers have disagreed on whether consciousness arises ‘early’ (at birth or shortly after) or ‘late’ – by one year of age, or even much later.” Tim Bayne
Research indicates that infants' brains exhibit activity in the default mode network, responsible for self-referential processes, and show signs of attention through eye movements.
Additionally, studies suggest that infants can integrate sensory information and demonstrate consciousness through brain wave patterns and responses to stimuli like the McGurk effect.
Dr. Lorina Naci, a co-author of the study, suggests that these findings imply that newborns can create coherent conscious experiences, allowing them to understand and respond to their environment. This research highlights the gradual emergence of infant consciousness, akin to a slowly brightening light, with each sensory experience acting as a biological dimmer switch.
She said, “Our findings suggest that newborns can integrate sensory and developing cognitive responses into coherent conscious experiences to understand the actions of others and plan their own responses.”
Final thoughts
The implications of these findings extend beyond the realm of neuroscience, touching upon philosophical and ethical considerations. Understanding when and how consciousness emerges in infants raises questions about the nature of self-awareness and the experiences of early life.
From a philosophical standpoint, these findings challenge previous assumptions about the timeline of consciousness development.
The idea that infants may possess some form of consciousness before birth challenges our understanding of what it means to be conscious and raises questions about the nature of consciousness itself.
Ethically, these findings raise important considerations regarding the care and treatment of infants. The recognition of early consciousness in infants suggests that they may be more aware and responsive to their environment than previously thought.
This has implications for how we interact with and care for newborns, emphasizing the importance of providing them with a nurturing and supportive environment from the earliest stages of life.
Overall, the study of infant consciousness continues to provide fascinating insights into the development of the human mind.
As neuroscience advances, our understanding of consciousness, both in infants and in adults, is likely to deepen, taking us to new and sometimes morally uncomfortable places as we grapple with the implications of these discoveries.
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
RESEARCH:
REVIEW| VOLUME 27, ISSUE 12, P1135-1149, DECEMBER 2023
Consciousness in the cradle: on the emergence of infant experience
Tim Bayne, Joel Frohlich, Rhodri Cusack, Julia Moser, &Lorina Naci
Open AccessPublished:October 12, 2023DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2023.08.018
