Disorders of consciousness

Question 1

Answer 1

Disorders of consciousness

Question 2

COMA

Answer 2

No eyes opening

No sign of consciousness

Lasting min 1 hour

Question 3

Vegetative state/Unresponsive

Answer 3

No sign of consciousness

No environment interaction

No voluntary behavior in response to visual, auditive, tactile and painful stimuli

No language comprehension – no language expression

Wake-sleep cycle

Question 4

Minimally conscious state

Answer 4

Limited but clearly discernible evidence of self or environmental awareness -

one or more of the following behaviors:

• Following simple commands.
• Gestural or verbal yes/no responses (regardless of accuracy).
• Intelligible verbalization.
• Purposeful behavior, including movements or affective

behaviors that occur in contingent relation to relevant

environmental stimuli:

– appropriate smiling

– appropriate vocalizations or gestures

– reaching for objects

– touching or holding objects

– visual pursuit or fixation

Emergence from MCS:

• Functional interactive communication
• Functional use of two different objects

Question 5

MCS +/-

Answer 5

MCS +
Following simple command

MCS -
Pain localisation
Visual pursuit
Accurate smiling or crying

Question 6

Where is consciousness in the
brain?

Answer 6

Consciousness # whole brain

Consciousness ≈ frontoparietal