Posted on 09/07/2006 9:05:48 PM PDT by neverdem
A severely brain-damaged woman in an unresponsive, vegetative state showed clear signs on brain imaging tests that she was aware of herself and her surroundings, researchers are reporting today, in a finding that could have far-reaching consequences for how unconscious patients are cared for and how their conditions are diagnosed.
In response to commands, the patient’s brain flared with activity, lighting the same language and movement-planning regions that are active when healthy people hear the commands. Previous studies had found similar activity in partly conscious patients, who occasionally respond to commands, but never before in someone who was totally unresponsive.
Neurologists cautioned that the new report characterized only a single, perhaps unique case and that it did not mean that unresponsive brain-damaged people were more likely to recover or that treatment was possible. The woman in the study could not communicate with the researchers, and there was no way to know whether her subjective experience was anything like what healthy people call consciousness. The woman was injured in a traffic accident in England last year.
Yet the study so drastically contradicted the woman’s diagnosed condition that it exposed the limitations of standard methods of bedside diagnosis. And its findings are bound to raise hopes for tens of thousands of families caring for unresponsive, brain-damaged patients around the world — whether those hopes are justified or not, experts said.
“One always hesitates to make a lot out of a single case, but what this study shows me is that there may be more going on in terms of patients’ self-awareness than we can learn at the bedside,” said Dr. James Bernat, a professor of neurology at the Dartmouth Medical School, who was not involved in the study. “Even though we might assume some patients are not aware, I think we should...”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Quick, someone call Terry Schiavo's parents and tell them there is hope. Oh wait...sorry...I forgot her husband already had starved to death.
PF
"had her starved to death"
sorry
Very sad, but true.
Ping!
---In response to commands, the patient’s brain flared with activity, lighting the same language and movement-planning regions that are active when healthy people hear the commands. ---
In other words, better than the average Senator.
Brace yourself for the onslaught of the "I wouldn't want to live like that, so its OK to kill me and everyone else who are useless eaters, by the intentional starvation and dehydration" supporters crowd.
Palliative care of actual USA citizens is to be strictly rationed, but kidney dialysis for foreign medical patients illegally in our country, and intent upon acquiring by theft the best medical practices available on earth, is mandated.
Thank you for posting this.
I think Howeird Dean and John F'kn Kerry has proven this.
Scientists Tie About 200 Genes to Cancer (just breast & colorectal)
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Great post neverdem!
life
the organ donation organizations are now going for those who still have some brain function to bolster "donations". They are trying to pare down the number of doctors that have to declare brain death, 1 instead of 2, and lower the threshold for what constitutes "brain death" or now donations collected from those that still have brain function, they just can't "breathe" on their own and may not be able to.
my dad was declared brain dead without an eeg scan and when I repeatedly asked to see the cat scan supposedly showing "brain death", they refused.
'Nother article about this.
Now have her think of working an assembly line without using her physical body. We will become robots without bodies.
my nephew was in a wreck, sever brain damage, they said he would never come out of the induced coma and he would never come out of the induced paralisis, they also tried to get my Sis to pull his life support, threw him in a nursing home, after 5-6 months of fighting to get him home, my Sis had all Medications stopped, other than vitamins and feeding tube.This was 3 yrs ago this month. He is now getting biofeedback therapy, combing his own hair, putting on his own shirts, brushing his own teeth, and last weekend (first time in 3 yrs)he stood with his Wife and Father in the Church service. God always has a way of healing those who have FAITH. Doctors on the other hand rely on insurance and synthetic drugs to keep you medicated, sedated and medicare imprisioned. Life is Great, Although he still has a feeding tube, He is able to interact and watch his 2 beautiful daughters grow and laugh and love. Never give up hope, Miracles happen everyday.
neverdem......I don't respond much, but you sure post some extremely interesting stuff.
Thank you....
Thank you for sharing your heartfelt and personal experience. I agree with you regarding the power of God...I am one of his miracles. But, I also know many very intelligent and dedicated doctors. that work very hard to help people, heal those in need and save lives.
There is good and bad, in EVERY walk in life.........
In that case, I would be talking to an attorney. "They" can't refuse to provide medical records to immediate family members.
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