Detecting Awareness in the Vegetative State
Adrian M. Owen, Martin R. Coleman, Melanie Boly, Matthew H. Davis, Steven Laureys, John D. Pickard
Science September 7, 2006 DOI: 10.1126/science.1130197 via OpenAlex
Summary
A patient who met the clinical criteria for a vegetative state showed brain activity indistinguishable from healthy volunteers when asked to imagine playing tennis or moving around her home. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the patient activated the same predicted cortical areas as conscious individuals, indicating preserved conscious awareness despite appearing unresponsive. This finding suggests that some patients diagnosed as vegetative may retain covert consciousness that standard behavioral assessments cannot detect.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A patient fulfilling criteria for a diagnosis of vegetative state |
| Keywords | Minimally conscious state Magnetic resonance imaging Psychology Medicine Consciousness |
| Citations | 1,974 |
| Key finding | The patient activated predicted cortical areas when imagining playing tennis or moving around her home, in a manner indistinguishable from healthy volunteers, indicating preserved conscious awareness. |
Abstract
We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to demonstrate preserved conscious awareness in a patient fulfilling the criteria for a diagnosis of vegetative state. When asked to imagine playing tennis or moving around her home, the patient activated predicted cortical areas in a manner indistinguishable from that of healthy volunteers.