Neural Signatures of Consciousness: Non-Linear Dynamics of EEG Responses to Sound

This study investigates the neural signatures of consciousness through non-linear dynamics in EEG
responses elicited by auditory stimuli. We recorded high-density EEG data from healthy participants
during passive listening tasks. Using advanced non-linear analysis methods—such as entropy measures,
recurrence quantification analysis, and fractal dimension estimation—we quantified complexity in EEG
signals across conscious and altered consciousness states. Results show that conscious auditory processing
is characterized by higher entropy and more complex recurrence patterns than non-conscious or reducedconsciousness states. These features reliably discriminated between wakeful and subdued neural
conditions, achieving classification accuracy exceeding 85%. Our findings suggest that non-linear EEG
metrics can serve as objective markers of consciousness, beyond traditional frequency-based analyses.
This work paves the way for improved assessment tools in clinical and neuroscientific settings by
highlighting how dynamic complexity in neural activity underpins auditory awareness.