Final answer:
Consciousness is amplified through neurotransmitter activity that enhances neuron communication and binds brain regions together. Temporal and spatial summation contribute to this process, and fMRI research aids in the understanding of consciousness-related brain activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The neurotransmitter amplifies workspace neuron activity, binding together brain regions and resulting in consciousness. This process involves different types of summations like temporal summation, where a combination of graded potentials at the same location on a neuron results in a strong signal from one input, and spatial summation, where graded potentials across the neuron's cell membrane are combined when signals come from different presynaptic elements to initiate an action potential. Neurotransmitters like glutamate play a crucial role in these synaptic transmissions and in modulation of synaptic plasticity, which can lead to long-term potentiation or long-term depression, important for learning and memory.
Further insights into the role of neurotransmitters and neuron activity in consciousness can be gained through advanced techniques such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), which allows researchers to detect and classify visual images during dreaming by measuring neural activity patterns. It is important to understand how these complex processes contribute to conscious perception and how disruptions in them can lead to neurological disorders.