by CATHERINE DE LANGE
It’s the nightmare scenario: people think you are in a vegetative state when you are not. While some people with serious brain damage are totally unaware of their surroundings, others are in a “minimally conscious” state (MCS). These patients have some level of awareness but may be unable express it to those around them because of the injuries to their brain.
The discovery of a signalling pathway in the brain that is different in the two conditions could open the way to an easy and objective way of telling whether a particular patient has any remaining consciousness, even if they can’t respond in an obvious way.
Being able to distinguish between these states would make it easier to decide whether or not to turn off life support-machines.
At present, making these assessments is time-consuming and subjective, and misdiagnoses are common, says Mélanie Boly from the University of Liège in Belgium.. An estimated 40 per cent of those thought to be in a vegetative state may actually be conscious on some level.
New Scientist for more