A Landmark Collaboration to Probe the Foundations of Consciousness.

A major international study published today in Nature marks a historic milestone in the scientific investigation of consciousness. In a unique endeavor, the Cogitate Consortium brought together proponents of two prominent theories of consciousness in an ambitious "adversarial collaboration" designed to rigorously test their predictions against empirical data.

As a member of the Cogitate Consortium’s Scientific Advisory Board and co-author of the study, Sylvain Baillet, Professor of Neurology & Neurosurgery and Computer Science at McGill’s Montreal Neurological Institute, emphasized the groundbreaking nature of the project:

“This study represents a fundamental shift in how we approach one of the greatest mysteries of the brain: how biological processes give rise to our experience of the world, others, and ourselves. Consciousness research is still a relatively young field, often marked by spirited competition rather than constructive collaboration. I am proud that the Cogitate Consortium has pioneered a new model—one of rigorous, transparent, and collaborative science.”

In a field where theoretical camps have historically worked in isolation—sometimes with harsh critiques issued without the necessary distance or empirical foundation—the Cogitate project took a different path. Following a framework inspired by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, researchers from across the world coordinated an adversarial collaboration: an experimental design agreed to ex ante, where predictions, methodologies, and interpretations were all preregistered.

The study mobilized state-of-the-art brain imaging and recording techniques across several modalities—including fMRI, MEG, and intracranial EEG—and enrolled over 250 participants worldwide. Its results deliver a striking message: critical predictions of both theories were challenged by the empirical findings, underscoring the complexity of consciousness as a scientific phenomenon.

Reflecting on the significance of the initiative, Baillet added:

“I am glad to have contributed a piece to this remarkable effort—providing guidance and motivational support along this long journey. It is inspiring to see theoretical predictions evaluated with such a breadth of methodologies, the strong engagement of young scientists willing to take career risks, and the open sharing of all data and analytical pipelines. Making our work fully accessible ensures that the scientific community can confirm, replicate, and build upon these findings. It’s an essential step forward for a rigorous and cumulative science of consciousness.“

What did the study find?

The two theories placed under scrutiny were: the Global Neuronal Workspace Theory (GNWT), which proposes that conscious perception arises from information being widely broadcast across the brain, particularly involving prefrontal regions; and the Integrated Information Theory (IIT), which posits that consciousness emerges from integrated information in a posterior cortical “hot zone.”

The Cogitate study revealed that critical predictions from both major theories of consciousness were not supported by the empirical data. Specifically, the Integrated Information Theory predicted sustained interactions in posterior brain regions during the conscious experience of a visual stimulus, but these were not observed. Meanwhile, the Global Neuronal Workspace Theory anticipated widespread prefrontal activity and a late “ignition” burst linked to conscious perception—yet these signals were either absent or failed to align with participants’ conscious experiences. These findings challenge the core assumptions of both theories, inviting them to refine their premises and models. Overall, a win for advancing knowledge.

The Cogitate Consortium's results are only the beginning. A second large-scale study is already underway, and the Consortium's commitment to openness ensures that future discoveries will be a collective endeavor.

About the Cogitate Consortium:

The Cogitate Consortium is an international collaboration of neuroscientists and consciousness researchers funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, working to advance the empirical study of consciousness through open science, rigorous experimental design, and adversarial collaboration models.

For more information, please visit the full publication in open access at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08888-1.