The article explains of a new method used that unlocked communication with patients trapped in a vegetative state. Apparently scientists have been able to reach into the mind of a brain-damaged man and communicate with his thoughts.
This state of awareness was also detected in other patients who had been diagnosed as being in a vegetative state.
Without going too deep into the mechanics of this system it is sufficient to say that the method uses functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging that shows brain activity in real time.
It was thought till today that patients in a vegetative state are awake, not in a coma, but have no awareness because of severe brain damage.
A control group was asked to do some basic motor "imagery" association such as imagining to play tennis or imagining to be just roaming the streets.
As different parts of the brain are activated when we do vigorous movement and when we don't the doctors associated the tennis game with a "yes" answer and the roaming with a "no" answer and were able to make contact with the patients who then managed to answer several questions this way.
Besides considerations on the fact that this method will be able to allow communication with patients on what way to go with their future treatment, it also opens the doors to deeper considerations such as termination of life.
Too many times the life-aiding machines are switched off because it is thought that there is nothing else to do. Too many times communication with the patients is given up because we can't understand what is being said... Out of 60 patients tested with this method, 43% were able to communicate (with 100% success in accuracy of their answers interpretation)
So, though it's still early days, though research still needs to be perfected and pursued, this just goes to show how quick sometimes we are in dismissing the power of our mind!
Without going too deep into the mechanics of this system it is sufficient to say that the method uses functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging that shows brain activity in real time.
It was thought till today that patients in a vegetative state are awake, not in a coma, but have no awareness because of severe brain damage.
A control group was asked to do some basic motor "imagery" association such as imagining to play tennis or imagining to be just roaming the streets.
As different parts of the brain are activated when we do vigorous movement and when we don't the doctors associated the tennis game with a "yes" answer and the roaming with a "no" answer and were able to make contact with the patients who then managed to answer several questions this way.
Besides considerations on the fact that this method will be able to allow communication with patients on what way to go with their future treatment, it also opens the doors to deeper considerations such as termination of life.
Too many times the life-aiding machines are switched off because it is thought that there is nothing else to do. Too many times communication with the patients is given up because we can't understand what is being said... Out of 60 patients tested with this method, 43% were able to communicate (with 100% success in accuracy of their answers interpretation)
So, though it's still early days, though research still needs to be perfected and pursued, this just goes to show how quick sometimes we are in dismissing the power of our mind!
3 comments:
I read this research in more detail yesterday and immediately got into deep discussion with Margaret, who used to do EEGs on such patients as part of brain dead/not brain dead decisions. This new work reveals clearly that many such patients can hear and fully understand what is being said around them. By thinking of playing tennis to communicate "yes" and of roaming the streets to communicate "no" their MRI images correctly revealed many known autobiographical details to the researchers. Very disturbing to ponder what it must be like to be "locked in" like that.
At one point, in my nursing career, I took care of such patients. Somehow I always sensed that they could hear and were aware. And I always spoke to each one. I would tell them who I was and what I was doing (like a bath, a treatment, medications, feeding through a tube). Then I would give informations about the season, the weather, the world. Sometimes, I would even sing a song, with apologies. And when they got visitors, I would tell them who was there, and I would encourage family members to speak with them. Some would anyhow, but many people didn't know how to handle that situation.
Now, would I want to be kept alive if this would happen to me. I don't think so. Nevertheless I never liked it when the decision was taken to let one of them go.
Hi! Dona. Sorry for coming in. Andrew sent me to your blog. I'm truly enjoying it. I'm a (not very young) French Canadian, living in Ontario Canada. I don't have a blog. I just like visiting people from different parts of the world, and learning more about the homo sapiens species. Specially when they like chocolate! All the best. Cheers!
Hello Claudia!
Lovely to meet you... Andrew did tell me you may pop by, I'm delighted about it!
I'm no professional writer, just a girl who loves to observe what goes on around her and put her thoughts into words on some important issues and some comical ones... After all life isn't meant to be taken too seriously all the time!
I perfectly understand your point of view on still talking to your patients even if in a vegetative state, when I work as a care assistant I do exactly the same and believe it or not I had a couple of responses from patients... goes to show we should never take anybody's condition for granted!
Lovely to know people read what I write, please pop by whenever you feel like, you're most welcome here
especially if you're another chocolate fan!! ;-))
Post a Comment