Can humans perceive their brain states?

Although the brain enables us to perceive the external world and our body, it remains unknown whether brain processes themselves can be perceived. Brain tissue does not have receptors for its own activity. However, the ability of humans to acquire self-control of brain processes indicates that the perception of these processes may also he achieved by learning, In this studs patients learned to control low-frequency components of their EEG: the so-called slow cortical potential (SCRs). In particular "probe" sessions, the patients estimated the quality of the SCP shift they had produced in the preceding trial, The correspondence between the recorded SCP amplitudes and the subjective estimates increased with training. The ability to perceive the SCRs was related to the ability to control them: thin perception as not mediated h peripheral variables such as changes in muscle tonus and cannot be reduced to simple vigilance monitoring. These data provide evidence that humans can learn to perceive the neural activity of their brain. Alternative interpretations are discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science (USA).