Understanding consciousness goes beyond exploring brain chemistry because consciousness is a behavior that is controlled by the brain: 

• Consciousness is a behavior: Consciousness is a type of behavior that is controlled by the brain. 

• Consciousness emerges from animal behavior: Human consciousness emerges from the interface between three components of animal behavior: communication, play, and the use of tools. 
• Consciousness transcends brain mechanisms: Human consciousness transcends the underlying brain mechanisms. 
• Consciousness uses sensory signals: Consciousness is a construction that uses sensory signals to build a subjective experience of a world with properties that help us behave. 

Brain chemistry includes: 

• Glucose, the principal energy substrate of the brain 
• Ketone bodies, used during starvation 
• Amino acids, incorporated into proteins and functionally important small molecules (e.g., neurotransmitters) 
• Fatty acids, converted to membrane lipids

Consciousness is difficult to study scientifically for a number of reasons, including: 

• The hard problem of consciousness: This is the problem of explaining why any physical state is conscious rather than nonconscious. 
• Consciousness is subjective: Science cannot explain consciousness because it is subjective. 
• The study and the study-er are aspects of consciousness itself: This can lead to infinite regress and other ambiguities. 
• The “rules” of science have been set up to not talk about consciousness: The ideal for science is that it talks about things that can be “intersubjectively corroborated”. 

Consciousness is currently a thriving area of research in psychology and neuroscience. There are currently four main theoretical approaches in consciousness science

Neuroscience has provided evidence that neurons are fundamental to consciousness. Consciousness is caused by neurobiological processes in the brain and is realized in the structure of the brain. The view in neuroscience is that consciousness as we know it is entirely generated by the brain and does not exist separately from or independent of the brain.

Here are some theories about consciousness from neuroscience: 

• Global Neuronal Workspace Theory Consciousness arises when information is globally available to multiple cognitive systems in the brain. 
• Dynamic Core Consciousness consists of a stream of unified mental constructs that arise spontaneously from a material structure in the brain. 
• Memory system Consciousness developed as a memory system that is used by our unconscious brain to help us flexibly and creatively imagine the future and plan accordingly.

The brain is responsible for all the electrical and chemical activity that makes up consciousness. The brain is the control center for the entire body and is responsible for all thoughts, beliefs, memories, behaviors, and moods

The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and is responsible for starting and managing conscious thoughts. The cerebral cortex is believed to be the “seat of consciousness”. The midbrain reticular formation and certain thalamic nuclei may provide gating and other necessary functions of the cortex. 

The conscious mind involves all the things you are currently aware of and are thinking about. It is somewhat akin to short-term memory and is limited in capacity

The reticular activating system (RAS)controls the body’s level of consciousness. The RAS is a system of nerve cells and fibers located deep within the upper part of the brain stem. Sensory axons, found in visual, auditory, and sensory impulses, activate RAS neurons in the brain stem. These neurons then relay information to the thalamus and cerebrum

Other parts of the brain that control consciousness include: 

• Cerebrum The largest part of the brain, responsible for starting and managing conscious thoughts. It is divided into four sections called lobes: the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital. 
• Cerebral cortex The outer layer of your brain’s surface, located on top of the cerebrum. It carries out essential functions of your brain, like memory, thinking, learning, reasoning, problem-solving, emotions, consciousness, and sensory functions. 
• Thalamic nuclei The clusters of densely packed neuronal cell bodies that comprise the thalamus. The thalamus is an ovoid, paired gray matter structure, found in the center of the brain, just superior to the brainstem.

Neuroscientists believe that three brain regions are critical for self-awareness: 

• Insular cortex 
• Anterior cingulate cortex 
• Medial prefrontal cortex 

Other brain regions associated with self-awareness include: 

• Fronto-insular cortex 
• Anterior precuneus 
• Cerebral cortex 
• Posterior cingulate cortex 

The cerebral cortex is the outermost, intricately wrinkled part of the brain. It’s involved in thinking about ourselves, recognizing images of ourselves, and reflecting on our thoughts and feelings. 

The anterior precuneus (aPCu) plays a critical role in forming our physical sense of self or “I”. 

The cortical midline structures (CMSs) are the posterior cingulate and medial prefrontal (mPFC) cortices. These regions are most associated with self-reflection. ( source google)

Self-consciousness can be caused by a number of factors, including: 

• Self-awareness Self-consciousness comes from self-awareness, which helps us understand how we fit into society. 
• Insecurity Self-consciousness can be the result of insecurity about abilities, appearance, personality, or other aspects of oneself. 
• Fear of being perceived negatively Self-consciousness can be accompanied by the fear of being perceived negatively by others. 
• Understanding of rules, standards, and goals Self-conscious emotions develop because of an understanding of rules, standards, and goals. 
• Mental health conditions Mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, or OCD might put you at higher risk for developing self-consciousness. 
• Adverse childhood experiences or trauma Adverse childhood experiences or trauma can cause self-consciousness. ( source google)

Some examples of self-consciousness include: 

• Looking in the mirror and being aware that it is one’s reflection that one is looking at 
• Thinking about oneself in relation to one’s environment or other people

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