The role of consciousness in the urge-for-action

Abstract

A neuroanatomical model of urge-for-action phenomena has been proposed based on the “motivation-for-action” network (e.g., insula and mid-cingulate cortex). Notwithstanding the sound evidence presented regarding the functional and anatomical correlates of this model, the nature of the relationship between urges and conscious awareness remains to be addressed. Moreover, this model does not seem to explain (1) how a conscious access threshold is reached, and (2) the way in which the urges are related to more general contents of consciousness.