Scientists have used advanced imaging techniques to identify brain activity and regions associated with cognitive motor dissociation (CMD), or “hidden consciousness.” CMD is a condition in which a person appears comatose and unresponsive while internally showing signs of conscious brain activity.
The results of the study, reported by a team at Columbia University in the United States, could help doctors in the future more easily identify CMD and better offer tailored treatments to patients who understand but are unable to respond. there is a possibility.
where the CMD occurs about 15-25 percent Number of people with brain injuries due to head trauma, cerebral hemorrhage, or cardiac arrest. Something is broken in these patients between the commands from the brain and the muscles needed to carry out those commands.
“By using a technique we developed called bicluster analysis, we were able to identify patterns of brain damage that were common in patients with CMD and contrasted with those without CMD.” To tell Qi Shen, a biostatistician at Columbia University.
EEG EEG was used to examine brain activity when the 107 participants in the study were asked to perform simple movements, and 21 were found to have CMD.
This was followed up with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) It uses scanning and machine learning techniques to identify patterns that match CMD and specific brain regions and activity.
Brain structures associated with arousal and command comprehension were intact in all CMD patients, suggesting that they could actually hear and understand verbal commands. However, regions associated with physical movement have structural gaps that explain their inability to move accordingly.
More research is needed to fine-tune these techniques and identify CMD more accurately with brain scans, but ultimately medical professionals may be able to make more accurate diagnoses. In addition, it may help identify patients with the highest chances of recovery.
The ultimate goal is to make this kind of analysis and detection available everywhere brain injuries are treated, using EEG and MRI scans, to see which kinds of brain injuries actually affect consciousness. is to acquire a deeper knowledge of
Research continues to help people in a coma, and one way to improve treatment is to better understand what level of consciousness the patient is at.
“Our study shows that widely available structural images of the brain may be used to screen for hidden consciousness, bringing the detection of CMD one step closer to common clinical use.” To tell Jan Klaasen, a neurologist at Columbia University.
This research brain.