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Brain imaging reveals covert consciousness during behavioral unresponsiveness induced by propofol

Brain imaging reveals covert consciousness during behavioral unresponsiveness induced by propofol

Authors :
Vijaykumar C. Tarnal
Zirui Huang
George A. Mashour
Richard E. Harris
Anthony G. Hudetz
Ellen Janke
Kelley M. Keefe
Margaret M. Collins
Paul Picton
Amy M. McKinney
Phillip E. Vlisides
Source :
Scientific Reports, Scientific Reports, Vol 8, Iss 1, Pp 1-11 (2018)
Publication Year :
2018
Publisher :
Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 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

ISSN :
20452322
Volume :
8
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Scientific Reports
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....c2aeb993b3febfac6edd938e4a2a6d2f
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-31436-z