They call it a “persistent vegetative state” or “persistent comatose state” to a clinical condition in which the person gives no obvious sign of self-consciousness or of the environment, and appears unable to interact with others or to react to appropriate stimuli.
The correct diagnosis is difficult and usually requires a long and careful observation in specialized centers. Some of these people, with proper care and rehabilitation, are able to exit the vegetative state. But many others remain in that state, even for years, without technological supports.
References
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- Borthwick C (1996) The permanent vegetative state: ethical crux, medical fiction? Issues Law Med. 1996 Fall; 12 (2): 167-85. The author’s questions about the validity of most PVS diagnoses, and the validity of the basic nosology. The fulltext is available on the author’s website.
- Laureys, Steven (2000), “The neural correlate of (un) awareness: lessons from the vegetative state”, Cyclotron Research Center and Department of Neurology B30
- Matsuda, W, W .; Matsumura, A .; Komatsu, Y .; Yanaka, K. (2003), “Awakenings from persistent vegetative state: report of three cases with Parkinsonism and brain stem lesions on MRI”, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 74 (11): 1571, doi : 10.1136 / jnnp.74.11 .1571 , PMID 14617720 and redundant ( help )
|last1=|author= - Owen, Adrian M., AM; Menon, DK; Johnsrude, IS; Bor, D. (2002), “Detecting residual cognitive function in persistent vegetative state” Neurocase 8 (5): 394-403, doi : 10.1076 / neur.8.4.394.16184 and redundant ( help )
|last1=|author= - Boly, M. (2004), “Auditory Processing in Severely Brain Injured Patients”, Arch Neurol 61 : 233-238, doi : 10.1001 / archneur.61.2.233 , PMID 14967772
- Emmett, PA (1989), A Biblical-Ethical Response to the Question of Withdrawing Fluid and Nutrition from Individuals in the Persistent Vegetative State 4-5 , pp. 248-249
- The Multi-Society Task Force On Pvs ,, S. (1994), “Medical Aspects of the Persistent Vegetative State- Second of Two Parts”, N Engl J Med 330 (22): 1572-1579, doi : 10.1056 / NEJM199406023302206 , PMID 8177248 and redundant ( help )
|last1=|author= - Owen, Adrian, AM; Coleman, MR; Johnsrude, IS; Menon, DK (2005), “auditory function in Residual persistent vegetative state: A combined PET and fMRI study” Neuropsychological Rehabilitation 15 (3-4): 290-306, doi :10.1080 / 09602010443000579 and redundant ( help )
|last1=|author= - Laureys, S, S .; Faymonville, ME; Peigneux, P .; Menon, DK (2002), “Cortical somatosensory processing of noxious stimuli in the persistent vegetative state” Neuroimage 17 (2): 732-741, doi : 10.1016 / S1053-8119 (02) 91236-Xand redundant ( help )
|last1=|author= - Sarà, Marco, M .; Sacco, S .; Cipolla, F .; Onorati, P. (2007), “An unexpected recovery from permanent vegetative state”, Brain Injury 21 (1): 101-103, doi : 10.1080 / 02699050601151761 and redundant ( help )
|last1=|author= - Schiff, ND, ND; Ribary, U .; Moreno, DR; Beattie, B. (2002), “residual brain activity and behavioral fragments can REMAIN in the persistently vegetative brain” Brain 125 : 1210-1234, doi : 10.1093 / brain / awf131 , PMID 12023311and redundant ( help )
|last1=|author= - “Diagnosis and management: Report of a working party of the Royal College of Physicians”, Royal College of Physicians , 1996
- Canavero S, et al. (2009), “Recovery of consciousness following bifocal extradural cortical stimulation in a permanently vegetative patient”, Journal of Neurology , doi : 10.1007 / s00415-009-5019-4
- Canavero S (editor) (2009), Textbook of therapeutic cortical stimulation , New York: Nova Science
- Connolly, Kate. Automotive accident victims in coma for 23 years were aware , The Guardian , November 23, 2009
- Hall, Alan. ‘I screamed, but there was nothing to hear’: Man trapped in 23-year ‘coma’ reveals horror of being unable to tell doctors he was conscious , Daily Mail , November 23, 2009.