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Consciousness and responsiveness: lessons from anaesthesia and the vegetative state
Melanie Boly1, Robert D Sanders, George A Mashour
1Coma Science Group, Cyclotron Research Centre and Neurology Department, University of Liege and CHU Sart Tilman, Liege, Belgium. boly@wisc.edu
Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
|June 8, 2013
Summary
Recent studies in anesthesia and vegetative states reveal dissociations between consciousness and responsiveness. Future research using neuroimaging can improve awareness detection in these conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Anesthesiology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- The vegetative state presents diagnostic challenges in assessing consciousness.
- Anesthesia can reversibly alter consciousness, posing similar detection difficulties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent behavioral and neuroimaging studies concerning anesthesia and the vegetative state.
- To explore the dissociation between consciousness and responsiveness in these conditions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of behavioral studies.
- Analysis of neuroimaging research findings.
- Synthesis of data on consciousness and responsiveness.
Main Results:
- Identified dissociations between consciousness and responsiveness in both anesthesia and vegetative states.
- Highlighted the potential for detecting covert awareness.
Conclusions:
- Future research should focus on neuroimaging and neurophysiological techniques.
- Improved detection of awareness in anesthesia and vegetative states is a key goal.
- Advances may refine clinical assessment and patient care.
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