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Brain imaging reveals covert consciousness during behavioral unresponsiveness induced by propofol.
- Source :
-
Scientific reports [Sci Rep] 2018 Sep 04; Vol. 8 (1), pp. 13195. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Sep 04. - Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- Detecting covert consciousness in behaviorally unresponsive patients by brain imaging is of great interest, but a reproducible model and evidence from independent sources is still lacking. Here we demonstrate the possibility of using general anesthetics in a within-subjects study design to test methods or statistical paradigms of assessing covert consciousness. Using noninvasive neuroimaging in healthy volunteers, we identified a healthy study participant who was able to exhibit the specific fMRI signatures of volitional mental imagery while behaviorally unresponsive due to sedation with propofol. Our findings reveal a novel model that may accelerate the development of new approaches to reproducibly detect covert consciousness, which is difficult to achieve in patients with heterogeneous and sometimes clinically unstable neuropathology.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2045-2322
- Volume :
- 8
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Scientific reports
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 30181567
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-31436-z