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Severe brain injury can result in disorders of consciousness (DoC), including coma, vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, and minimally conscious state. Improved emergency and trauma medicine response, in addition to expanding efforts to prevent premature withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, has led to an increased number of patients with prolonged DoC. High-quality bedside care of patients with DoC is key to improving long-term functional outcomes. However, there is a paucity of DoC-specific evidence guiding clinicians on efficacious bedside care that can promote medical stability and recovery of consciousness. This Viewpoint describes the state of current DoC bedside care and identifies knowledge and practice gaps related to patient care with DoC collated by the Care of the Patient in Coma scientific workgroup as part of the Neurocritical Care Society's Curing Coma Campaign. The gap analysis identified and organized domains of bedside care that could affect patient outcomes: clinical expertise, assessment and monitoring, timing of intervention, technology, family engagement, cultural considerations, systems of care, and transition to the post-acute continuum. Finally, this Viewpoint recommends future research and education initiatives to address and improve the care of patients with DoC. more...

BackgroundOver the past 30 years, there have been significant advances in the understanding of the mechanisms associated with loss and recovery of consciousness following severe brain injury. This work has provided a strong grounding for the development of novel restorative therapeutic interventions. Although all interventions are aimed at modulating and thereby restoring brain function, the landscape of existing interventions encompasses a very wide scope of techniques and protocols. Despite vigorous research efforts, few approaches have been assessed with rigorous, high-quality randomized controlled trials. As a growing number of exploratory interventions emerge, it is paramount to develop standardized approaches to reporting results. The successful evaluation of novel interventions depends on implementation of shared nomenclature and infrastructure. To address this gap, the Neurocritical Care Society's Curing Coma Campaign convened nine working groups and charged them with developing common data elements (CDEs). Here, we report the work of the Therapeutic Interventions Working Group.MethodsThe working group reviewed existing CDEs relevant to therapeutic interventions within the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke database and reviewed the literature for assessing key areas of research in the intervention space. CDEs were then proposed, iteratively discussed and reviewed, classified, and organized in a case report form (CRF).ResultsWe developed a unified CRF, including CDEs and key design elements (i.e., methodological or protocol parameters), divided into five sections: (1) patient information, (2) general study information, (3) behavioral interventions, (4) pharmacological interventions, and (5) device interventions.ConclusionsThe newly created CRF enhances systematization of future work by proposing a portfolio of measures that should be collected in the development and implementation of studies assessing n more...

Over the last 30 years, there has been a growing trend in clinical trials towards assessing novel interventions not only against the benchmark of statistical significance, but also with respect to whether they lead to clinically meaningful changes for patients. In the context of Disorders of Consciousness (DOC), despite a growing landscape of experimental interventions, there is no agreed standard as to what counts as a minimal clinically important difference (MCID). In part, this issue springs from the fact that, by definition, DOC patients are either unresponsive (i.e., in a Vegetative State; VS) or non-communicative (i.e., in a Minimally Conscious State; MCS), which renders it impossible to assess any subjective perception of benefit, one of the two core aspects of MCIDs. Here, we develop a novel approach that leverages published, international diagnostic guidelines to establish a probability-based minimal clinically important difference (pMCID), and we apply it to the most validated and frequently used scale in DOC: the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R). This novel method is objective (i.e., based on published criteria for patient diagnosis) and easy to recalculate as the field refines its agreed-upon criteria for diagnosis. We believe this new approach can help clinicians determine whether observed changes in patients behavior are clinically important, even when patients cannot communicate their experiences, and can align the landscape of clinical trials in DOC with the practices in other medical fields. more...

Background and purpose: The prognosis of prolonged (28 days to 3 months post-onset) disorders of consciousness (pDoC) due to anoxic brain injury is uncertain. The present study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcome of post-anoxic pDoC and identify the possible predictive value of demographic and clinical information. Method: This is a systematic review and meta-analysis. The rates of mortality, any improvement in clinical diagnosis, and recovery of full consciousness at least 6 months after severe anoxic brain injury were evaluated. A cross-sectional approach searched for differences in baseline demographic and clinical characteristics between survivors and non-survivors, patients improved versus not improved, and patients who recovered full consciousness versus not recovered. Results: Twenty-seven studies were identified. The pooled rates of mortality, any clinical improvement and recovery of full consciousness were 26%, 26% and 17%, respectively. Younger age, baseline diagnosis of minimally conscious state versus vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, higher Coma Recovery Scale Revised total score, and earlier admission to intensive rehabilitation units were associated with a significantly higher likelihood of survival and clinical improvement. These same variables, except time of admission to rehabilitation, were also associated with recovery of full consciousness. Conclusions: Patients with anoxic pDoC might improve over time up to full recovery of consciousness and some clinical characteristics can help predict clinical improvement. These new insights could support clinicians and caregivers in the decision-making on patient management. more...

Background/objectiveFor patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) and their families, the search for new therapies has been a source of hope and frustration. Almost all clinical trials in patients with DoC have been limited by small sample sizes, lack of placebo groups, and use of heterogeneous outcome measures. As a result, few therapies have strong evidence to support their use; amantadine is the only therapy recommended by current clinical guidelines, specifically for patients with DoC caused by severe traumatic brain injury. To foster and advance development of consciousness-promoting therapies for patients with DoC, the Curing Coma Campaign convened a Coma Science Work Group to perform a gap analysis.MethodsWe consider five classes of therapies: (1) pharmacologic; (2) electromagnetic; (3) mechanical; (4) sensory; and (5) regenerative. For each class of therapy, we summarize the state of the science, identify gaps in knowledge, and suggest future directions for therapy development.ResultsKnowledge gaps in all five therapeutic classes can be attributed to the lack of: (1) a unifying conceptual framework for evaluating therapeutic mechanisms of action; (2) large-scale randomized controlled trials; and (3) pharmacodynamic biomarkers that measure subclinical therapeutic effects in early-phase trials. To address these gaps, we propose a precision medicine approach in which clinical trials selectively enroll patients based upon their physiological receptivity to targeted therapies, and therapeutic effects are measured by complementary behavioral, neuroimaging, and electrophysiologic endpoints.ConclusionsThis personalized approach can be realized through rigorous clinical trial design and international collaboration, both of which will be essential for advancing the development of new therapies and ultimately improving the lives of patients with DoC. more...

Coma and disorders of consciousness (DoC) are highly prevalent and constitute a burden for patients, families, and society worldwide. As part of the Curing Coma Campaign, the Neurocritical Care Society partnered with the National Institutes of Health to organize a symposium bringing together experts from all over the world to develop research targets for DoC. The conference was structured along six domains: (1) defining endotype/phenotypes, (2) biomarkers, (3) proof-of-concept clinical trials, (4) neuroprognostication, (5) long-term recovery, and (6) large datasets. This proceedings paper presents actionable research targets based on the presentations and discussions that occurred at the conference. We summarize the background, main research gaps, overall goals, the panel discussion of the approach, limitations and challenges, and deliverables that were identified. more...

AimIn order to successfully detect, classify, prognosticate, and develop targeted therapies for patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC), it is crucial to improve our mechanistic understanding of how severe brain injuries result in these disorders.MethodsTo address this need, the Curing Coma Campaign convened a Mechanisms Sub-Group of the Coma Science Work Group (CSWG), aiming to identify the most pressing knowledge gaps and the most promising approaches to bridge them.ResultsWe identified a key conceptual gap in the need to differentiate the neural mechanisms of consciousness per se, from those underpinning connectedness to the environment and behavioral responsiveness. Further, we characterised three fundamental gaps in DOC research: (1) a lack of mechanistic integration between structural brain damage and abnormal brain function in DOC; (2) a lack of translational bridges between micro- and macro-scale neural phenomena; and (3) an incomplete exploration of possible synergies between data-driven and theory-driven approaches.ConclusionIn this white paper, we discuss research priorities that would enable us to begin to close these knowledge gaps. We propose that a fundamental step towards this goal will be to combine translational, multi-scale, and multimodal data, with new biomarkers, theory-driven approaches, and computational models, to produce an integrated account of neural mechanisms in DOC. Importantly, we envision that reciprocal interaction between domains will establish a "virtuous cycle," leading towards a critical vantage point of integrated knowledge that will enable the advancement of the scientific understanding of DOC and consequently, an improvement of clinical practice. more...

Background/objectiveFor patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) and their families, the search for new therapies has been a source of hope and frustration. Almost all clinical trials in patients with DoC have been limited by small sample sizes, lack of placebo groups, and use of heterogeneous outcome measures. As a result, few therapies have strong evidence to support their use; amantadine is the only therapy recommended by current clinical guidelines, specifically for patients with DoC caused by severe traumatic brain injury. To foster and advance development of consciousness-promoting therapies for patients with DoC, the Curing Coma Campaign convened a Coma Science Work Group to perform a gap analysis.MethodsWe consider five classes of therapies: (1) pharmacologic; (2) electromagnetic; (3) mechanical; (4) sensory; and (5) regenerative. For each class of therapy, we summarize the state of the science, identify gaps in knowledge, and suggest future directions for therapy development.ResultsKnowledge gaps in all five therapeutic classes can be attributed to the lack of: (1) a unifying conceptual framework for evaluating therapeutic mechanisms of action; (2) large-scale randomized controlled trials; and (3) pharmacodynamic biomarkers that measure subclinical therapeutic effects in early-phase trials. To address these gaps, we propose a precision medicine approach in which clinical trials selectively enroll patients based upon their physiological receptivity to targeted therapies, and therapeutic effects are measured by complementary behavioral, neuroimaging, and electrophysiologic endpoints.ConclusionsThis personalized approach can be realized through rigorous clinical trial design and international collaboration, both of which will be essential for advancing the development of new therapies and ultimately improving the lives of patients with DoC. more...

In nearly all clinical and research contexts, the initial severity of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is measured using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) total score. The GCS total score however, may not accurately reflect level of consciousness, a critical indicator of injury severity. We investigated the relationship between GCS total scores and level of consciousness in a consecutive sample of 2455 adult subjects assessed with the GCS 69,487 times as part of the multi-center Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in TBI (TRACK-TBI) study. We assigned each GCS subscale score combination a level of consciousness rating based on published criteria for the following disorders of consciousness (DoC) diagnoses: coma, vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, minimally conscious state, and post-traumatic confusional state, and present our findings using summary statistics and four illustrative cases. Participants had the following characteristics: mean (standard deviation) age 41.9 (17.6) years, 69% male, initial GCS 3-8 = 13%; 9-12 = 5%; 13-15 = 82%. All GCS total scores between 4-14 were associated with more than one DoC diagnosis; the greatest variability was observed for scores of 7-11. Further, a wide range of total scores was associated with identical DoC diagnoses. Importantly, a diagnosis of coma was only possible with GCS total scores of 3-6. The GCS total score does not accurately reflect level of consciousness based on published DoC diagnostic criteria. To improve the classification of patients with TBI and to inform the design of future clinical trials, clinicians and investigators should consider individual subscale behaviors and more comprehensive assessments when evaluating TBI severity. more...

Цель исследования работы - достоверно различить синдром малого сознания от синдрома ареактивного бодрствования (вегетативного состояния) с помощью электромиографии. В рамках проведенной работы были использованы теоретический, психодиагностический и статистический методы. В качестве методик были использованы шкала комы Глазго, шкала восстановления после комы (пересмотренная), электромиография, компьютерная томография. В первой главе «Теоретический обзор термина синдром малого сознания» представлены взгляды отечественных и зарубежных авторов на проблему нарушения сознания, его видов, функций и механизмов формирования, а также на проблему диагностики и реабилитации пациентов в состоянии малого сознания. Во второй главе «Эмпирическое исследование нарушений сознания» представлен ход исследования уровня сознания и двигательной активности у пациентов с нарушением сознания, результаты статистической обработки полученных данных и их обсуждение. В результате проведенной работы было выявлено, отсутствие значимых различий поведенческой реакции пациента, в случаях сравнения пациентов с диагнозом синдром малого сознания «минус» и синдром малого сознания «плюс». Статистически значимые различия двигательной реакции были найдены при сравнении пациентов с синдромом ареактивного бодрствования и пациентов с синдромом малого сознания «плюс». При сравнении пациентов с синдромом ареактивного бодрствования и синдромом малого сознания «минус» были получены не однозначные результаты, так как значимые отличия выявились лишь в одном сравнении., Purpose: to reliably distinguish minimally consciousness syndrome from the vegetative state (unresponsive wakefulness syndrome) using electromyography. Theoretical, psychodiagnostic and statistical methods were used in this work. The methods used were the Glasgow coma scale, the coma recovery scale (revised), electromyography, and computed tomography. The first Chapter "Theoretical overview of the term small consciousness syndrome" presents the views of domestic and foreign authors on the problem of impaired consciousness, its types, functions and mechanisms of formation, as well as on the problem of diagnosis and rehabilitation of patients in a state of small consciousness. The second Chapter, "Empirical study of consciousness disorders", presents the progress of research on the level of consciousness and motor activity in patients with impaired consciousness, the results of statistical processing of the data obtained and their discussion. As a result of the conducted work, it was revealed that there were no significant differences in the patient's behavioral response, in cases of comparing patients with the diagnosis of small consciousness syndrome "minus" and small consciousness syndrome "plus". Statistically significant differences in motor response were found when comparing patients with areactive wakefulness syndrome and patients with small consciousness syndrome "plus". When comparing patients with areactive wakefulness syndrome and small consciousness syndrome "minus", not unambiguous results were obtained, since significant differences were revealed only in one comparison. more...

Although many researchers in psychology, religious studies, and psychiatry recognize that there is overlap in the experiences their subjects recount, disciplinary silos and challenges involved in comparing reported experiences have left us with little understanding of the mechanisms, whether biological, psychological, and/or sociocultural, through which these experiences are represented and differentiated. So-called mystical experiences, which some psychologists view as potentially sui generis, provide a test case for assessing whether we can develop an expanded framework for studying unusual experiences across disciplines and cultures. Evidence for the special nature of "mystical experience" rests on the operationalization of a metaphysically untestable construct in two widely used self-report scales: the Mysticism Scale and the Mystical Experiences Questionnaire. Consideration of the construct in light of research on alterations in sense of self induced by psychoactive drugs and meditation practices suggests that "positive experiences of undifferentiated unity" are not sui generis, but rather a type of "ego dissolution." To better understand the nature and effects of unusual experiences, such as alterations in the sense of self, we need self-report measures that distinguish between generically worded experiences and the way they are appraised in terms of valence, significance, cause, and long-term effects in different contexts. more...

Background: Sleep-wakefulness cycles are an essential diagnostic criterion for disorders of consciousness (DOC), differentiating prolonged DOC from coma. Specific sleep features, like the presence of sleep spindles, are an important marker for the prognosis of recovery from DOC. Based on increasing evidence for a link between sleep and neuronal plasticity, understanding sleep in DOC might facilitate the development of novel methods for rehabilitation. Yet, well-controlled studies of sleep in DOC are lacking. Here, we aimed to quantify, on a reliable evaluation basis, the distribution of behavioral and neurophysiological sleep patterns in DOC over a 24-h period while controlling for environmental factors (by recruiting a group of conscious tetraplegic patients who resided in the same hospital). Methods: We evaluated the distribution of sleep and wakefulness by means of polysomnography (EEG, EOG, EMG) and video recordings in 32 DOC patients (16 unresponsive wakefulness syndrome [UWS], 16 minimally conscious state [MCS]), and 10 clinical control patients with severe tetraplegia. Three independent raters scored the patients’ polysomnographic recordings. Results: All but one patient (UWS) showed behavioral and electrophysiological signs of sleep. Control and MCS patients spent significantly more time in sleep during the night than during daytime, a pattern that was not evident in UWS. DOC patients (particularly UWS) exhibited less REM sleep than control patients. Forty-four percent of UWS patients and 12% of MCS patients did not have any REM sleep, while all control patients (100%) showed signs of all sleep stages and sleep spindles. Furthermore, no sleep spindles were found in 62% of UWS patients and 21% of MCS patients. In the remaining DOC patients who had spindles, their number and amplitude were significantly lower than in controls. Conclusions: The distribution of sleep signs in DOC over 24 h differs significantly from the normal sleep-wakefulness pattern. These ab more...

BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may promote the recovery of severely brain-injured patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC). Prior tDCS studies targeted single brain regions rather than brain networks critical for consciousness recovery. OBJECTIVE: Investigate the behavioral and electrophysiological effects of multifocal tDCS applied over the frontoparietal external awareness network in patients with chronic acquired DOC. METHODS: Forty-six patients were included in this randomized double-blind sham-controlled crossover trial (median [interquartile range]: 46 [35 - 59] years old; 12 [5 - 47] months post injury; 17 unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, 23 minimally conscious state (MCS) and 6 emerged from the MCS). Multifocal tDCS was applied for 20 min using 4 anodes and 4 cathodes with 1 mA per electrode. Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) assessment and 10 min of resting state electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings were acquired before and after the active and sham sessions. RESULTS: At the group level, there was no tDCS behavioral treatment effect. However, following active tDCS, the EEG complexity significantly increased in low frequency bands (1-8 Hz). CRS-R total score improvement was associated with decreased baseline complexity in those bands. At the individual level, after active tDCS, new behaviors consistent with conscious awareness emerged in 5 patients. Conversely, 3 patients lost behaviors consistent with conscious awareness. CONCLUSION: The behavioral effect of multifocal frontoparietal tDCS varies across patients with DOC. Electrophysiological changes were observed in low frequency bands but not translated into behavioral changes at the group level. more...

Coma and disordered consciousness are common manifestations of acute neurological conditions and are among the most pervasive and challenging aspects of treatment in neurocritical care. Gaps exist in patient assessment, outcome prognostication, and treatment directed specifically at improving consciousness and cognitive recovery. In 2019, the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) launched the Curing Coma Campaign in order to address the "grand challenge" of improving the management of patients with coma and decreased consciousness. One of the first steps was to bring together a Scientific Advisory Council including coma scientists, neurointensivists, neurorehabilitationists, and implementation experts in order to address the current scientific landscape and begin to develop a framework on how to move forward. This manuscript describes the proceedings of the first Curing Coma Campaign Scientific Advisory Council meeting which occurred in conjunction with the NCS Annual Meeting in October 2019 in Vancouver. Specifically, three major pillars were identified which should be considered: endotyping of coma and disorders of consciousness, biomarkers, and proof-of-concept clinical trials. Each is summarized with regard to current approach, benefits to the patient, family, and clinicians, and next steps. Integration of these three pillars will be essential to the success of the Curing Coma Campaign as will expanding the "curing coma community" to ensure broad participation of clinicians, scientists, and patient advocates with the goal of identifying and implementing treatments to fundamentally improve the outcome of patients. more...

Although many researchers in psychology, religious studies, and psychiatry recognize that there is overlap in the experiences their subjects recount, disciplinary silos and challenges involved in comparing reported experiences have left us with little understanding of the mechanisms, whether biological, psychological, and/or sociocultural, through which these experiences are represented and differentiated. So-called mystical experiences, which some psychologists view as potentially sui generis, provide a test case for assessing whether we can develop an expanded framework for studying unusual experiences across disciplines and cultures. Evidence for the special nature of "mystical experience" rests on the operationalization of a metaphysically untestable construct in two widely used self-report scales: the Mysticism Scale and the Mystical Experiences Questionnaire. Consideration of the construct in light of research on alterations in sense of self induced by psychoactive drugs and meditation practices suggests that "positive experiences of undifferentiated unity" are not sui generis, but rather a type of "ego dissolution." To better understand the nature and effects of unusual experiences, such as alterations in the sense of self, we need self-report measures that distinguish between generically worded experiences and the way they are appraised in terms of valence, significance, cause, and long-term effects in different contexts. more...

Modelling and simulations have gained a leading position in contemporary attempts to describe, explain, and quantitatively predict the human brain's operations. Computer models are highly sophisticated tools developed to achieve an integrated knowledge of the brain with the aim of overcoming the actual fragmentation resulting from different neuroscientific approaches. In this paper we investigate plausibility of simulation technologies for emulation of consciousness and the potential clinical impact of large-scale brain simulation on the assessment and care of disorders of consciousness (DOCs), e.g. Coma, Vegetative State/Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome, Minimally Conscious State.Notwithstanding their technical limitations, we suggest that simulation technologies may offer new solutions to old practical problems, particularly in clinical contexts. We take DOCs as an illustrative case, arguing that the simulation of neural correlates of consciousness is potentially useful for improving treatments of patients with DOCs., The human brain project more...

Modeling and simulations have gained a leading position in contemporary attempts to describe, explain, and quantitatively predict the human brain's operations. Computer models are highly sophisticated tools developed to achieve an integrated knowledge of the brain with the aim of overcoming the actual fragmentation resulting from different neuroscientific approaches. In this paper we investigate the plausibility of simulation technologies for emulation of consciousness and the potential clinical impact of large-scale brain simulation on the assessment and care of disorders of consciousness (DOCs), e.g., Coma, Vegetative State/Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome, Minimally Conscious State. Notwithstanding their technical limitations, we suggest that simulation technologies may offer new solutions to old practical problems, particularly in clinical contexts. We take DOCs as an illustrative case, arguing that the simulation of neural correlates of consciousness is potentially useful for improving treatments of patients with DOCs., QC 20180509 more...

Modelling and simulations have gained a leading position in contemporary attempts to describe, explain, and quantitatively predict the human brain's operations. Computer models are highly sophisticated tools developed to achieve an integrated knowledge of the brain with the aim of overcoming the actual fragmentation resulting from different neuroscientific approaches. In this paper we investigate plausibility of simulation technologies for emulation of consciousness and the potential clinical impact of large-scale brain simulation on the assessment and care of disorders of consciousness (DOCs), e.g. Coma, Vegetative State/Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome, Minimally Conscious State.Notwithstanding their technical limitations, we suggest that simulation technologies may offer new solutions to old practical problems, particularly in clinical contexts. We take DOCs as an illustrative case, arguing that the simulation of neural correlates of consciousness is potentially useful for improving treatments of patients with DOCs., The human brain project more...

Modelling and simulations have gained a leading position in contemporary attempts to describe, explain, and quantitatively predict the human brain's operations. Computer models are highly sophisticated tools developed to achieve an integrated knowledge of the brain with the aim of overcoming the actual fragmentation resulting from different neuroscientific approaches. In this paper we investigate plausibility of simulation technologies for emulation of consciousness and the potential clinical impact of large-scale brain simulation on the assessment and care of disorders of consciousness (DOCs), e.g. Coma, Vegetative State/Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome, Minimally Conscious State.Notwithstanding their technical limitations, we suggest that simulation technologies may offer new solutions to old practical problems, particularly in clinical contexts. We take DOCs as an illustrative case, arguing that the simulation of neural correlates of consciousness is potentially useful for improving treatments of patients with DOCs., The human brain project more...

__Background:__ In palliative care, administration of opioids is often indispensable for pain treatment. Pain assessment may help recognize pain and guide treatment in non-communicative patients. In the Netherlands the Rotterdam Elderly Pain Observation Scale (REPOS) is recommended to this aim, but not yet validated. Therefore the objective of this study was to validate the REPOS in non-communicative or unconscious end-of-life patients. __Methods:__ In this observational study, the primary researcher applied the REPOS, while both the researcher and a nurse applied the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). If possible, the patient in question applied the NRS as well. The NRS scores were compared with the REPOS scores to determine concurrent validity. REPOS scores obtained before and after a pain-reducing intervention were analysed to establish the scale's sensitivity to change. __Results:__ A total of 183 REPOS observations in 100 patients were analysed. Almost 90% of patients had an advanced malignancy; observations were done a median of 3 days (IQR 1 to 13) before death. Internal consistency of the REPOS was 0.73. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficient ranged from 0.64 to 0.80 between REPOS and NRS scores. REPOS scores declined with median 2 points (IQR 1 to 4) after a pain-reducing intervention (p < 0.001). Optimal sensitivity (0.81) and specificity (0.62) were found at cut-off score 3. __Conclusions:__ This study demonstrates that the REPOS has promising psychometric properties for pain assessment in non-communicative end-of-life patients. Its application may be of additional value to relieve suffering, including pain, in palliative care. more...

Modelling and simulations have gained a leading position in contemporary attempts to describe, explain, and quantitatively predict the human brain's operations. Computer models are highly sophisticated tools developed to achieve an integrated knowledge of the brain with the aim of overcoming the actual fragmentation resulting from different neuroscientific approaches. In this paper we investigate plausibility of simulation technologies for emulation of consciousness and the potential clinical impact of large-scale brain simulation on the assessment and care of disorders of consciousness (DOCs), e.g. Coma, Vegetative State/Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome, Minimally Conscious State.Notwithstanding their technical limitations, we suggest that simulation technologies may offer new solutions to old practical problems, particularly in clinical contexts. We take DOCs as an illustrative case, arguing that the simulation of neural correlates of consciousness is potentially useful for improving treatments of patients with DOCs., The human brain project more...

Modelling and simulations have gained a leading position in contemporary attempts to describe, explain, and quantitatively predict the human brain's operations. Computer models are highly sophisticated tools developed to achieve an integrated knowledge of the brain with the aim of overcoming the actual fragmentation resulting from different neuroscientific approaches. In this paper we investigate plausibility of simulation technologies for emulation of consciousness and the potential clinical impact of large-scale brain simulation on the assessment and care of disorders of consciousness (DOCs), e.g. Coma, Vegetative State/Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome, Minimally Conscious State.Notwithstanding their technical limitations, we suggest that simulation technologies may offer new solutions to old practical problems, particularly in clinical contexts. We take DOCs as an illustrative case, arguing that the simulation of neural correlates of consciousness is potentially useful for improving treatments of patients with DOCs., The human brain project more...

Previous studies have suggested that disorders of consciousness (DOC) after severe brain injury may result from disconnections of the thalamo-cortical system. However, thalamo-cortical connectivity differences between vegetative state (VS), minimally conscious state minus (MCS-, i.e., low-level behavior such as visual pursuit), and minimally conscious state plus (MCS+, i.e., high-level behavior such as language processing) remain unclear. Probabilistic tractography in a sample of 25 DOC patients was employed to assess whether structural connectivity in various thalamo-cortical circuits could differentiate between VS, MCS-, and MCS+ patients. First, the thalamus was individually segmented into seven clusters based on patterns of cortical connectivity and tested for univariate differences across groups. Second, reconstructed whole-brain thalamic tracks were used as features in a multivariate searchlight analysis to identify regions along the tracks that were most informative in distinguishing among groups. At the univariate level, it was found that VS patients displayed reduced connectivity in most thalamo-cortical circuits of interest, including frontal, temporal, and sensorimotor connections, as compared with MCS+, but showed more pulvinar-occipital connections when compared with MCS-. Moreover, MCS- exhibited significantly less thalamo-premotor and thalamo-temporal connectivity than MCS+. At the multivariate level, it was found that thalamic tracks reaching frontal, parietal, and sensorimotor regions, could discriminate, up to 100% accuracy, across each pairwise group comparison. Together, these findings highlight the role of thalamo-cortical connections in patients' behavioral profile and level of consciousness. Diffusion tensor imaging combined with machine learning algorithms could thus potentially facilitate diagnostic distinctions in DOC and shed light on the neural correlates of consciousness. Hum Brain Mapp 38:431-443, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. more...

Chest imaging plays a prominent role in blunt trauma patient evaluation, but indiscriminate imaging is expensive, may delay care, and unnecessarily exposes patients to potentially harmful ionizing radiation. To improve diagnostic chest imaging utilization, we conducted 3 prospective multicenter studies over 12years to derive and validate decision instruments (DIs) to guide the use of chest x-ray (CXR) and chest computed tomography (CT). The first DI, NEXUS Chest x-ray, consists of seven criteria (Age >60years; rapid deceleration mechanism; chest pain; intoxication; altered mental status; distracting painful injury; and chest wall tenderness) and exhibits a sensitivity of 99.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 98.2-99.4%) and a specificity of 13.3% (95% CI, 12.6%-14.0%) for detecting clinically significant injuries. We developed two NEXUS Chest CT DIs, which are both highly reliable in detecting clinically major injuries (sensitivity of 99.2%; 95% CI 95.4-100%). Designed primarily to focus on detecting major injuries, the NEXUS Chest CT-Major DI consists of six criteria (abnormal CXR; distracting injury; chest wall tenderness; sternal tenderness; thoracic spine tenderness; and scapular tenderness) and exhibits higher specificity (37.9%; 95% CI 35.8-40.1%). Designed to reliability detect both major and minor injuries (sensitivity 95.4%; 95% CI 93.6-96.9%) with resulting lower specificity (25.5%; 95% CI 23.5-27.5%), the NEXUS CT-All rule consists of seven elements (the six NEXUS CT-Major criteria plus rapid deceleration mechanism). The purpose of this review is to synthesize the three DIs into a novel, cohesive summary algorithm with practical implementation recommendations to guide selective chest imaging in adult blunt trauma patients. more...

Uzroci gubitka svesti su različiti i teško ih je diferencirati. Razlikovanja epileptičkih od neepileptičkih gubitaka svesti je od krucijalnog značaja za ispitivanje, lečenja i prognoze ovih poremećaja. Elektroencefalografija (EEG) je standardna, neinvazivna metoda koja se koristi u ispitivanju nakon gubitka svesti. Inicijalni EEG nalaz nakon prvog gubitka svesti može biti normalan, specifičan ili nespecifičan. Procenat patološkog EEG nalaza je veći kod rano urađenog EEG pregleda. Kod dece rani EEG pregled u roku od 48h ne pokazuje statistički značajne abnormalnosti. Spontanim spavanjem ili EEG pregledom nakon deprivacije spavanja se beleži značajno veća prisutnost epileptiformnih promena kod dece starije od 3 godine, čak i kada je prvi EEG u budnom stanju normalan. Kombinacijama pregleda u budnom stanju i spavanju povećava prisutnost patoloških promena u EEG zapisu. Materijal metode: Istraživanje je obuhvatilo 198 dece uzrasta od 3-12 godine života nakon prvog gubitka svesti. Ispitanici su klasifikovani u dve grupe na osnovu otpusne dijagnoze: na grupu dece kod kojih dijagnoza epilepsije nije postavljena i na grupu dece kod kojih je dijagnoza epilepsije potvrđena. Korelirani su nalazi EEG-a u budnom stanju i spavanju (spontanom ili nakon deprivacije spavanja) sa anamnestičkim i kliničkim podacima o gubitku svesti, podacima o dužini trajanja gubitka svesti i vremena oporavka, vremenom kada je urađen prvi EEG u odnosu na gubitak svesti kao i sa podacima o ličnoj i porodičnoj anamnezi, a koji su navedeni u protokolu istraživanja. Ispitanici su potom podeljeni prema uzrastu u pet grupa u intervalima od 2 godine (3-4; 5-6; 7-8; 9-10; 11-12). Rezultati: Nakon prvog gubitka svesti specifičan (epileptiformni) nalaz EEG u budnom stanju imalo je 41,97% ispitanika, a 58,03% je imalo nespecifičan ili uredan EEG nalaz u budnom stanju, dok je specifičan nalaz EEG u spavanju imalo je 73,57% ispitanika, a 26,43% je imalo nespecifičan ili uredan EEG nalaz u spavanju. Ispitanici koji, The reasons for the loss of consciousness are various and difficult to be differentiated. It is of utmost importance to differentiate between epileptic and non-epileptic losses of consciousness for the purpose of testing, treating and giving prognosis related to this disorder. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a standard, non-invasive method used in testing after the loss of consciousness. The initial EEG after the first loss of consciousness can be normal, specific and non-specific. The percentage of pathological EEG findings is higher in EEG exams performed at an earlier stage. In children, an early EEG exam within 48 hours does not reveal any statistically relevant abnormalities. Spontaneous sleeping or an EEG examination after sleep deprivation leads to a significantly higher number of epileptiform changes in children above the age of 3, even in cases when the first EEG in the awake state was normal. Combinations of examinations in the awake state and during sleep lead to an increased presence of pathological changes in the EEG recording. Material and methods: The research included 198 children aged 3-12 who have experienced their first loss of consciousness. The subjects were classified into two groups, based on their discharge diagnosis: children who have not been diagnosed with epilepsy and children who have had epilepsy confirmed. A correlation was established between EEG findings in the awake state and sleep (spontaneous or following sleep deprivation) and medical history and clinical data related to the loss of consciousness, the information about the length of the loss of consciousness and recovery time, the time when the first EEG examination was performed in relation to the loss of consciousness, as well as the data from the personal and family history. The subjects were further divided into five groups, depending on their age, with each group covering a 2-year period (3-4; 5-6; 7-8; 9-10; 11-12). Results: Following the first loss of consciousness, specif more...

OBJECTIVE: To describe the necessary approaches for diagnosis of children and adolescents with acute encephalopathy, it´s main clinical manifestations and laboratory tests of more frequent disorders that are reason of attention in emergency services.DEVELOPMENT: One algorithm about the general actuation for diagnosis in children and adolescents with acute encephalopathy is delineated. Initially, is established the concept of acute encephalopathy, and are considered main clinical manifestations: disorders of consciousness, mental function, and occurrence of epileptic seizures and other neurological manifestations of focalization or dysfunction. In second place, in patient with criteria of acute encephalopathy, is very important to definite if clinical manifestations are consistent with encephalitis or not. Here is presented an option for diagnosis of patient with encephalitis, emphasizing on the laboratory tests and neuroimaging for diagnosis and cause determination. After that, are mentioned the main options in diagnosis of acute encephalopathy that do not fulfill the criterions, neither of infectious encephalitis or immune–mediated neurologic diseases, and are mentioned fundamental elements that make to suspect them.CONCLUSIONS: The proposed organization for the diagnosis of acute encephalopathy and disorders that are motive of it, it is a contribution for to get betters the attention on this serious situation that needs an effective and fast conduct. This approach can be the key for diagnosis in child neurology practice and appropriate conduct determination., OBJETIVOS: Delinear los criterios para el diagnóstico de niños y adolescentes con encefalopatía aguda y las principales manifestaciones clínicas y de laboratorio de los trastornos que con mayor frecuencia motivan su asistencia a los servicios de emergencia.DESARROLLO: Se delinea un algoritmo de actuación diagnóstica general ante un niño o adolescente con encefalopatía aguda. Primeramente se plantea el concepto de encefalopatía aguda. Se tuvo en cuenta que sus manifestaciones clínicas consisten fundamentalmente en trastornos de la conciencia, de las funciones mentales, de la ocurrencia de crisis epilépticas y otros signos de focalización o disfunción neurológica. En segundo lugar, ante un paciente con criterio de encefalopatía aguda, se insiste en la importancia de determinar si se trata de una encefalitis o no. Se aborda el enfoque diagnóstico ante un paciente pediátrico con encefalitis enfatizando en los principales exámenes de laboratorio y neuroimagen para diagnosticarla y su interpretación etiológica. Luego se señalan las principales encefalopatías agudas que no cumplen los criterios de encefalitis infecciosa o autoinmune y se mencionan los elementos fundamentales que las hacen sospechar.CONCLUSIONES: La organización que se propone para el diagnóstico de encefalopatía aguda y de los trastornos que la motivan es una contribución para mejorar la atención ante esta situación grave que requiere de un manejo eficaz y rápido. Este enfoque puede ser la clave para el diagnóstico en la práctica neuropediátrica y la determinación de la conducta adecuada. more...

ObjectiveWe employed functional MRI (fMRI) to assess whether (1) patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) retain the ability to willfully engage in top-down processing and (2) what neurophysiologic factors distinguish patients who can demonstrate this ability from patients who cannot.MethodsSixteen volunteers, 8 patients in vegetative state (VS), 16 minimally conscious patients (MCS), and 4 exit from MCS (eMCS) patients were enrolled in a prospective cross-sectional fMRI study. Participants performed a target detection task in which they counted the number of times a (changing) target word was presented amidst a set of distractors.ResultsThree of 8 patients diagnosed as being in a VS exhibited significant activations in response to the task, thereby demonstrating a state of consciousness. Differential activations across tasks were also observed in 6 MCS patients and 1 eMCS patient. A psycho-physiologic interaction analysis revealed that the main factor distinguishing patients who responded to the task from those who did not was a greater connectivity between the anterior section of thalamus and prefrontal cortex.ConclusionsIn our sample of patients, the dissociation between overt behavior observable in clinical assessments and residual cognitive faculties is prevalent among DOC patients (37%). A substantial number of patients, including some diagnosed with VS, can demonstrate willful engagement in top-down cognition. While neuroimaging data are not the same as observable behavior, this suggests that the mental status of some VS patients exceeds what can be appreciated clinically. Furthermore, thalamo-frontal circuits might be crucial to sustaining top-down functions. more...

The positive rate of head CT in non-trauma patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) is low. Currently, indications for imaging are based on the individual experience of the treating physician, which contributes to overutilization and variability in imaging utilization. The goals of this study are to ascertain the predictors of positive head CT in non-trauma patients and demonstrate feasibility of a clinical scoring algorithm to improve yield. We retrospectively reviewed 500 consecutive ED non-trauma patients evaluated with non-contrast head CT after presenting with headache, altered mentation, syncope, dizziness, or focal neurologic deficit. Medical records were assessed for clinical risk factors: focal neurologic deficit, altered mental status, nausea/vomiting, known malignancy, coagulopathy, and age. Data was analyzed using logistic regression and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves and three derived algorithms. Positive CTs were found in 51 of 500 patients (10.2 %). Only two clinical factors were significant: focal neurologic deficit (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 20.7; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 9.4-45.7) and age >55 (adjusted OR 3.08; CI 1.44-6.56). Area under the ROC curve for all three algorithms was 0.73-0.83. In proposed algorithm C, only patients with focal neurologic deficit (major risk factor) or ≥2 of the five minor risk factors (altered mental status, nausea/vomiting, known malignancy, coagulopathy, and age) would undergo CT imaging. This may reduce utilization by 34 % with only a small decrease in sensitivity (98 %). Our simple scoring algorithm utilizing multiple clinical risk factors could help to predict the non-trauma patients who will benefit from CT imaging, resulting in reduced radiation exposure without sacrificing sensitivity. more...

OBJECTIVE: To describe the necessary approaches for diagnosis of children and adolescents with acute encephalopathy, it´s main clinical manifestations and laboratory tests of more frequent disorders that are reason of attention in emergency services.DEVELOPMENT: One algorithm about the general actuation for diagnosis in children and adolescents with acute encephalopathy is delineated. Initially, is established the concept of acute encephalopathy, and are considered main clinical manifestations: disorders of consciousness, mental function, and occurrence of epileptic seizures and other neurological manifestations of focalization or dysfunction. In second place, in patient with criteria of acute encephalopathy, is very important to definite if clinical manifestations are consistent with encephalitis or not. Here is presented an option for diagnosis of patient with encephalitis, emphasizing on the laboratory tests and neuroimaging for diagnosis and cause determination. After that, are mentioned the main options in diagnosis of acute encephalopathy that do not fulfill the criterions, neither of infectious encephalitis or immune–mediated neurologic diseases, and are mentioned fundamental elements that make to suspect them.CONCLUSIONS: The proposed organization for the diagnosis of acute encephalopathy and disorders that are motive of it, it is a contribution for to get betters the attention on this serious situation that needs an effective and fast conduct. This approach can be the key for diagnosis in child neurology practice and appropriate conduct determination., OBJETIVOS: Delinear los criterios para el diagnóstico de niños y adolescentes con encefalopatía aguda y las principales manifestaciones clínicas y de laboratorio de los trastornos que con mayor frecuencia motivan su asistencia a los servicios de emergencia.DESARROLLO: Se delinea un algoritmo de actuación diagnóstica general ante un niño o adolescente con encefalopatía aguda. Primeramente se plantea el concepto de encefalopatía aguda. Se tuvo en cuenta que sus manifestaciones clínicas consisten fundamentalmente en trastornos de la conciencia, de las funciones mentales, de la ocurrencia de crisis epilépticas y otros signos de focalización o disfunción neurológica. En segundo lugar, ante un paciente con criterio de encefalopatía aguda, se insiste en la importancia de determinar si se trata de una encefalitis o no. Se aborda el enfoque diagnóstico ante un paciente pediátrico con encefalitis enfatizando en los principales exámenes de laboratorio y neuroimagen para diagnosticarla y su interpretación etiológica. Luego se señalan las principales encefalopatías agudas que no cumplen los criterios de encefalitis infecciosa o autoinmune y se mencionan los elementos fundamentales que las hacen sospechar.CONCLUSIONES: La organización que se propone para el diagnóstico de encefalopatía aguda y de los trastornos que la motivan es una contribución para mejorar la atención ante esta situación grave que requiere de un manejo eficaz y rápido. Este enfoque puede ser la clave para el diagnóstico en la práctica neuropediátrica y la determinación de la conducta adecuada. more...

The population in which the article focuses, has suffered brain injury and required intensive care. We have been able to act in specific cases and thus reflect on how, with our intervention at an earlier stage can promote better patient outcomes. Although occupational therapists have been taught techniques used in vegetative state and minimally conscious, the first patient contact is not usually in units of intensive care, it will be much later, when the patient is stabilized Rehabilitation requires an interdisciplinary team that making a detailed assessment of the person´s functionality degree, and possible complications that can happens and the implementation of a management plan early in order to decrease the occurrence of difficulties and encourage the start of the rehabilitation process. The family is one of the principal axes in this process, through sensory stimulation techniques, and others described in the article we can involve them. The effectiveness of sensory stimulation techniques on people in coma is an issue that continues to debate, but it has been shown by RMF techniques (functional MRI), which are important for brain recovery., La población en la que se centra el artículo, ha sufrido un daño neurológico y precisa de atención en U.C.I. Hemos podido actuar en casos puntuales y de este modo reflexionar sobre cómo, con nuestra intervención en estadios más tempranos se puede favorecer una mejor evolución del paciente. Aunque a los terapeutas ocupacionales nos han enseñado las técnicas que se utilizan en estados vegetativos y de mínima conciencia, el primer contacto con paciente no suele ser en unidades de UCI, sino muy posterior cuando el paciente se estabiliza La rehabilitación requiere de un equipo interdisciplinario que realice una evaluación detallada del grado de funcionalidad del individuo, de las deficiencias secundarias a su lesión y de las posibles complicaciones que se pueden presentar así como la implementación de un plan de manejo temprano con miras a disminuir la aparición de dificultades y favorecer el inicio del proceso de rehabilitación. La familia es uno de los ejes principales en todo este proceso, mediante las técnicas de estimulación sensorial, y otras que durante el artículo describiremos podemos hacerles partícipes. La efectividad de las técnicas de estimulación sensorial en personas en coma es un tema que continúa a debate, pero sí se ha demostrado mediante técnicas de RMF (resonancia magnética funcional), que son de importancia para la recuperación cerebral. more...

The population in which the article focuses, has suffered brain injury and required intensive care. We have been able to act in specific cases and thus reflect on how, with our intervention at an earlier stage can promote better patient outcomes. Although occupational therapists have been taught techniques used in vegetative state and minimally conscious, the first patient contact is not usually in units of intensive care, it will be much later, when the patient is stabilized Rehabilitation requires an interdisciplinary team that making a detailed assessment of the person´s functionality degree, and possible complications that can happens and the implementation of a management plan early in order to decrease the occurrence of difficulties and encourage the start of the rehabilitation process. The family is one of the principal axes in this process, through sensory stimulation techniques, and others described in the article we can involve them. The effectiveness of sensory stimulation techniques on people in coma is an issue that continues to debate, but it has been shown by RMF techniques (functional MRI), which are important for brain recovery., La población en la que se centra el artículo, ha sufrido un daño neurológico y precisa de atención en U.C.I. Hemos podido actuar en casos puntuales y de este modo reflexionar sobre cómo, con nuestra intervención en estadios más tempranos se puede favorecer una mejor evolución del paciente. Aunque a los terapeutas ocupacionales nos han enseñado las técnicas que se utilizan en estados vegetativos y de mínima conciencia, el primer contacto con paciente no suele ser en unidades de UCI, sino muy posterior cuando el paciente se estabiliza La rehabilitación requiere de un equipo interdisciplinario que realice una evaluación detallada del grado de funcionalidad del individuo, de las deficiencias secundarias a su lesión y de las posibles complicaciones que se pueden presentar así como la implementación de un plan de manejo temprano con miras a disminuir la aparición de dificultades y favorecer el inicio del proceso de rehabilitación. La familia es uno de los ejes principales en todo este proceso, mediante las técnicas de estimulación sensorial, y otras que durante el artículo describiremos podemos hacerles partícipes. La efectividad de las técnicas de estimulación sensorial en personas en coma es un tema que continúa a debate, pero sí se ha demostrado mediante técnicas de RMF (resonancia magnética funcional), que son de importancia para la recuperación cerebral. more...

BACKGROUND: Bedside clinical examinations can have high rates of misdiagnosis of unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (vegetative state) or minimally conscious state. The diagnostic and prognostic usefulness of neuroimaging-based approaches has not been established in a clinical setting. We did a validation study of two neuroimaging-based diagnostic methods: PET imaging and functional MRI (fMRI).METHODS: For this clinical validation study, we included patients referred to the University Hospital of Liège, Belgium, between January, 2008, and June, 2012, who were diagnosed by our unit with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, locked-in syndrome, or minimally conscious state with traumatic or non-traumatic causes. We did repeated standardised clinical assessments with the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R), cerebral (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET, and fMRI during mental activation tasks. We calculated the diagnostic accuracy of both imaging methods with CRS-R diagnosis as reference. We assessed outcome after 12 months with the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended.FINDINGS: We included 41 patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, four with locked-in syndrome, and 81 in a minimally conscious state (48=traumatic, 78=non-traumatic; 110=chronic, 16=subacute). (18)F-FDG PET had high sensitivity for identification of patients in a minimally conscious state (93%, 95% CI 85-98) and high congruence (85%, 77-90) with behavioural CRS-R scores. The active fMRI method was less sensitive at diagnosis of a minimally conscious state (45%, 30-61) and had lower overall congruence with behavioural scores (63%, 51-73) than PET imaging. (18)F-FDG PET correctly predicted outcome in 75 of 102 patients (74%, 64-81), and fMRI in 36 of 65 patients (56%, 43-67). 13 of 41 (32%) of the behaviourally unresponsive patients (ie, diagnosed as unresponsive with CRS-R) showed brain activity compatible with (minimal) consciousness (ie, activity associated with consciousness, but diminish more...

BACKGROUND: Bedside clinical examinations can have high rates of misdiagnosis of unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (vegetative state) or minimally conscious state. The diagnostic and prognostic usefulness of neuroimaging-based approaches has not been established in a clinical setting. We did a validation study of two neuroimaging-based diagnostic methods: PET imaging and functional MRI (fMRI).METHODS: For this clinical validation study, we included patients referred to the University Hospital of Liège, Belgium, between January, 2008, and June, 2012, who were diagnosed by our unit with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, locked-in syndrome, or minimally conscious state with traumatic or non-traumatic causes. We did repeated standardised clinical assessments with the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R), cerebral (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET, and fMRI during mental activation tasks. We calculated the diagnostic accuracy of both imaging methods with CRS-R diagnosis as reference. We assessed outcome after 12 months with the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended.FINDINGS: We included 41 patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, four with locked-in syndrome, and 81 in a minimally conscious state (48=traumatic, 78=non-traumatic; 110=chronic, 16=subacute). (18)F-FDG PET had high sensitivity for identification of patients in a minimally conscious state (93%, 95% CI 85-98) and high congruence (85%, 77-90) with behavioural CRS-R scores. The active fMRI method was less sensitive at diagnosis of a minimally conscious state (45%, 30-61) and had lower overall congruence with behavioural scores (63%, 51-73) than PET imaging. (18)F-FDG PET correctly predicted outcome in 75 of 102 patients (74%, 64-81), and fMRI in 36 of 65 patients (56%, 43-67). 13 of 41 (32%) of the behaviourally unresponsive patients (ie, diagnosed as unresponsive with CRS-R) showed brain activity compatible with (minimal) consciousness (ie, activity associated with consciousness, but diminish more...

Access to other minds once presupposed other individuals' expressions and narrations. Today, several methods have been developed which can measure brain states relevant for assessments of mental states without 1st person overt external behavior or speech. Functional magnetic resonance imaging and trace conditioning are used clinically to identify patterns of activity in the brain that suggest the presence of consciousness in people suffering from severe consciousness disorders and methods to communicate cerebrally with patients who are motorically unable to communicate. The techniques are also used non-clinically to access subjective awareness in adults and infants. In this article we inspect technical and theoretical limits on brain-machine interface access to other minds. We argue that these techniques hold promises of important medical breakthroughs, open up new vistas of communication, and of understanding the infant mind. Yet they also give rise to ethical concerns, notably misuse as a consequence of hypes and misinterpretations. more...

Disorders of consciousness (DOC) have been studied in recent years. In the present research, electrophysiological measures (ERPs) were used to verify the preservation of semantic linguistic processes in vegetative states (VS) and minimal-consciousness state (MCS). Eighteen patients classified as VS or MCS, and 20 controls were submitted to a semantic associative task with congruous or incongruous word sequences (auditory stimuli). An increased N400 peak amplitude within the fronto-central cortical areas was shown in response to incongruous sequences for both patients and controls. Thus, semantic processing was partially preserved in both VS and MCS patients. more...

Tiagabine (TGB), a novel GABA reuptake inhibitor antiepileptic drug, has been reported to induce nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) in patients with generalized or partial onset seizures. We describe six patients with refractory partial epilepsy treated with add-on TGB. They developed acute intermittent or progressive chronic confusion associated with diffuse slowing of the electroencephalogram (EEG), shortly after an increase in dose of TGB. This remitted in each situation after reduction of the daily dose. The possibility of nonconvulsive status epilepticus or toxic encephalopathy is discussed. more...

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[No abstract available]