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Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Possible Effects of New Scientific Research on End-of-Life Cases

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have discovered that some patients diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state can have "hidden brain signatures" of consciousness, even when the patient has the appearance of being in an unconscious state. 

Specifically, the study found the following:

"Although unable to move and respond, some patients in a vegetative state are able to carry out tasks such as imagining playing a game of tennis, the scientists note. Using a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner, researchers have previously been able to record activity in the pre-motor cortex, the part of the brain that deals with movement, in apparently unconscious patients asked to imagine playing tennis."

Scientists hope to use this "tennis test" to figure out which ostensibly vegetative patients may in fact have some conscious awareness. This may be a new consideration to take into account in the writing of advance directives.