Public Lecture by Prof. Matthew Larkum: Deep control – Layer 6b as a gatekeeper of conscious processing

Event Start Date:
17. June 2025

Event End Date:
17. June 2025

Event Venue:
Sophus Lies auditorium, Moltke Moes vei 35, Blindern Campus, University of Oslo

On June 17th, Professor MATTHEW LARKUM, Humboldt University of Berlin, will give a lecture in our Forum for Consciousness Research, Oslo.

Public Lecture: Tuesday, June 17^th, 2025, 18.30-20.00

[In addition: A symposium on Consciousness Research with Matthew Larkum and Björn Merker on June 17^th (09.45 am) will be announced separately.]

Matthew Larkum, Professor, Humboldt University of Berlin.

Deep control – Layer 6b as a gatekeeper of conscious processing

Time: Tuesday, June 17^th, 2025, 18.30-20.00

Venue: Sophus Lies auditorium, Blindern Campus (Moltke Moes vei), University of Oslo

After the lecture, 18.30 – 19.30, there will be time for questions and discussion.

Please register if you wish to attend. The event will also be live-streamed (see below).

ABSTRACT by ML: We have recently shown that Layer 6b (L6b), the deepest and most understudied layer of the neocortex, plays a pivotal role in regulating thalamocortical loops critical for conscious processing. Positioned at the convergence of intracortical feedback and neuromodulatory input, L6b acts as a key node in the arousal system, integrating volitional signals with brain-state dependent modulation. By exerting fast and targeted control over corticothalamic circuits, it enables both sustained and flexible attention. These properties align closely with the predictions of Dendritic Integration Theory, which posits that conscious experience arises from the selective coupling of cortical pyramidal neurons and their role in the corticothalamic loops. We argue that L6b is uniquely positioned to initiate and maintain this coupling, effectively acting as a gatekeeper for conscious access.

Matthew Larkum is an eminent neuroscientist studying the computational properties of neurons and their impact on higher brain functions such asattention and consciousness. Larkum’s findings has led him to propose that the computational properties of single neurons are far more complex
than commonly assumed. His discoveries of single neuron’s computational complexity has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the
brain, including perception, attention, learning, and consciousness, leading to the Dendritic Integration Theory of Consciousness (DIT) and multiple publications in Science, Nature, Cell, Neuron, TINS, and TICS.

Some articles by Matthew Larkum

Aru, J., Drüke, M., Pikamäe, J., & Larkum, M. E. (2023). Mental navigation and the neural mechanisms of insight. Trends in Neurosciences.

Gidon, A., Aru, J., & Larkum, M. E. (2022). Does brain activity cause consciousness? A thought experiment. Plos Biology, 20(6), e3001651.

Aru, J., Suzuki, M., & Larkum, M. E. (2020). Cellular Mechanisms of Conscious Processing. Trends in Cognitive Sciences.

Suzuki M, Larkum ME (2020) General Anesthesia Decouples Cortical Pyramidal Neurons. Cell 180, 666-676.

Doron G, … Larkum ME (2020) Perirhinal input to neocortical layer 1 controls learning. Science, 370, 1435-1444.

Larkum, M. (2013) A cellular mechanism for cortical associations: an organizing principle for the cerebral cortex. Trends in Neurosciences 36: 141-151

REGISTRATION:

If you wish to attend Larkum’s lecture, please register within June 11th by sending an e-mail with “LARKUM June 17” in the subject field to: j.f.storm@medisin.uio.no

(We need to know how many will attend)

LIVESTREAM:

This event will be streamed. You can follow the lecture at this page from 18:30, June 17th.