An International Study Reveals That 1 in 4 Patients in Coma or Vegetative State After Severe Brain Injury May Still Be Conscious!
According to Science Alert, the discovery of “covert consciousness” could significantly change the approach to care and treatment for patients classified as being in a coma, vegetative state, or with minimal consciousness…
The authors suggest that the terminology used for individuals unable to respond normally after severe brain injury may not tell the whole story.
Improving tools to search for “covert consciousness” in patients in coma or vegetative states may bring about new miracles – (Illustration AI: Anh Thu).
In a study recently published in the medical journal The New England Journal of Medicine, scientists conducted experiments on 241 patients classified as being in a coma or vegetative state… essentially, non-responsive due to brain injury.
These patients were given a simple request: “Imagine you are opening and closing your hand.”
They underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) to assess brain responses following the request.
The results were truly shocking: 60 out of 241 patients showed signs of consciousness.
Neurologist Yelena Bodien from Massachusetts General Hospital, co-author of the study, noted that while these patients could not process the outside world, brain activity indicated otherwise.
“These results raise important ethical, clinical, and scientific questions. For instance, how can we harness that hidden cognitive capacity to establish a communication system and facilitate recovery?” Dr. Bodien posed.
While similar studies have been conducted, this is the first time a study has revealed such a high rate of patients with covert consciousness.
Interestingly, a test on 112 other patients who were believed to have clear responses to bedside instructions showed that their brains did not respond as expected.
This demonstrates that modern methods may still not fully detect all cognitive functions in individuals.
Therefore, upgrading these tools is crucial.
Understanding that a patient is listening and responding—even if not outwardly visible—could change how caregivers and families approach conversations, play music, and seek signs of response.
Additionally, this could assist doctors in making more accurate medical decisions regarding life support measures for those whose brain activity indicates a glimmer of hope, despite complete physical immobility.
