Communication with wax coma patients?

Wake-coma patients have residual perception

10.11.2011

Visceral patients apparently get along much more than previously thought. This is reported by Canadian researchers. Damian Cruse of the University of Western Ontario Brain and Mind University in the current issue of the journal „The Lancet“.

With the help of the electroencephalogram (EEG) study method, Canadian scientists were able to identify brain waves in several vegetative patients, indicating that the affected persons perceive their environment and react to external influences, even though their bodies are not moving. A further development of the EEG method could possibly make possible in the future the communication with the patients with wake coma, so the hope of the Canadian researchers.

Similar brain activity in wake coma patients as in healthy subjects
Researchers at the University of Western Ontario used electroencephalogram scans to examine electrical brain waves or brain activity in 16 patients with wake coma while receiving specific commands or external stimuli. The data obtained compared them with the results of twelve healthy study participants in the control group. Through sensors on the scalp, the EEG is able to record the electrical signals of the brain. Surprisingly, three of the 16 patients with the coma showed clear and persistent EEG signs after being asked to visualize a movement of their right hand or toes. Damian Cruse and colleagues. Although the affected had not moved their limbs, but the activities in the brain corresponded exactly to those of healthy controls, if they moved their hands or toes, so the statement of the Canadian scientists.

Wake-coma patients with cognitive abilities
Although it is not possible to say what the patients actually feel, the EEG signals indicate that some of the coma patients are partially conscious and possessing cognitive abilities, contrary to previous assumptions, the researchers said. Because the understanding of the commands and their implementation in the brain are relatively complex processes. According to the statement of Dr. Watson patients are often misjudged. Damian Cruse and colleagues. The EEG procedure could help to better understand the actual state of the patients in the wake coma in the future. The EEG method is, according to the scientists „cheap, portable, widely available and objectively“, what makes them useful for all coma patients and could help to fundamentally change their health assessment.

Communicating with vegetative patients by further development of the EEG
Although the EEG method is less accurate than modern imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging, it is significantly more expensive and can not be used on patients who have metal parts in the body, as is more common in wake coma patients after car accidents become. Overall, therefore, speak a lot for the use of the EEG process, stressed Dr. med. Curse. And the experts go even further: they hope that a further development of the EEG will make possible a kind of communication with the patients with the coma. So, in the future, patients might not just be simple about EEG signals „Yes or no questions“ but actively communicate with their environment. (Fp)