In a discovery that could change our understanding of consciousness and patient care, researchers have found that as many as one in four patients deemed unresponsive after brain injuries may actually be aware of their surroundings.
The findings challenge long-held assumptions about cognitive function in patients who are comatose, vegetative, or are in a minimally conscious state.
Many Unresponsive Patients May Actually Be Conscious
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in August, sheds light on a condition known as cognitive motor dissociation (CMD), also called covert consciousness. The research, involving 241 unresponsive patients across several medical centers, including Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, challenges our understanding of consciousness in patients with severe brain injuries.
George Citroner
Author
George Citroner reports on health and medicine, covering topics that include cancer, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative conditions. He was awarded the Media Orthopaedic Reporting Excellence (MORE) award in 2020 for a story on osteoporosis risk in men.
