News

Feb 4, 2010

Most vegetative state patients show no signs of brain activity

British scientists said they could communicate with a patient who has not shown any sign of outward consciousness for five years.

They used a new brain scanning technique to 'talk' to the 29 year old Belgian man who damaged his brain in a car accident and has been classified as being in a vegetative state.

The patient was able to communicate "yes" and "no" using just his thoughts during a research conducted by a team from Cambridge University.

The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr Adrian Owen, who led the team, said this is a rare case.

The research raises many ethical issues including whether or not to allow patients in a permanent vegetative state to die by withdrawing all treatment.

Dr Ranaan Gillon is professor of medical ethics at Imperial College in London.