Up to 25% of patients with severe brain damage who appear unresponsive may possess cognitive capabilities and show signs of brain activity indicating higher cognitive function than previously thought, according to a study published by The New England Journal of Medicine.
Cognitive-motor dissociation, where patients retain cognitive abilities despite being unable to move or speak, occurs in 10-20% of individuals with disorders of consciousness. Assessing this condition could assist in predicting prognosis and increasing independence.
Functional MRI (fMRI) and EEG can detect command-following responses and retained cognitive capabilities in patients with cognitive-motor dissociation, despite their outward unresponsiveness.
An estimated 300,000 to 400,000 people globally may have hidden awareness despite brain injuries that prevent them from visibly communicating. Brain-computer interfaces could potentially enable communication for those with consciousness disorders.
The study likely underestimates the number of conscious but physically unresponsive individuals.
Sources: Nature, New Scientist, Evrim Ağacı, KUOW, Medscape, Express & Star, Weill Cornell Medicine, MedPage Today.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
