27 September, 2017

Man regains consciousness after 15 years, thanks to nerve stimulation

After a car accident had left a 35-year-old man in a vegetative state for 15 years, nerve stimulation literally helped bring him back to life. According to a case study, a nerve stimulator was implanted into the man's chest, after which he began to show signs of consciousness.

The case, published in the journal Current Biology, shows that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) – a treatment already used for patients suffering from epilepsy and depression – can help restore consciousness even after many years in a vegetative state. The outcome challenges the general belief that disorders of consciousness that persist for longer than 12 months are irreversible, the researchers said.

"By stimulating the vagus nerve, we show that it is possible to improve a patient's presence in the world," said Angela Sirigu, from the Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod in France.

The vagus nerve connects the brain to many other parts of the body, including the gut. It is known to be important in waking, alertness, and many other essential functions.

To test the ability of VNS to restore consciousness, the researchers wanted to select a difficult case to ensure that any improvements could not be explained by chance. They looked into the case of a patient who had been lying in a vegetative state for more than a decade with no sign of improvement.

After one month of vagal nerve stimulation, the patient's attention, movements and brain activity significantly improved. The man began responding to simple orders that had been impossible before. Recordings of brain activity also showed major changes. The theta EEG signal - important for distinguishing between a vegetative and minimally conscious state - increased significantly in areas of the brain involved in movement, sensation, and awareness.

VNS also increased the brain's functional connectivity. A PET scan showed increases in metabolic activity in both cortical and subcortical regions of the brain, too. The findings show that the right intervention can yield changes in consciousness even in the most severe clinical cases.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com      27.09.2017

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