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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Scan unlocks vegetative patients | Scan unlocks vegetative patients |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| Scientists have been able to reach into the mind of a brain-damaged man and communicate with his thoughts. | Scientists have been able to reach into the mind of a brain-damaged man and communicate with his thoughts. |
| The research, carried out at in the UK and in Belgium, involved a new brain scanning method. | The research, carried out at in the UK and in Belgium, involved a new brain scanning method. |
| Awareness was detected in three other patients previously diagnosed as being in a vegetative state. | Awareness was detected in three other patients previously diagnosed as being in a vegetative state. |
| The study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that scans can detect signs of awareness in patients thought to be closed off from the world. | The study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that scans can detect signs of awareness in patients thought to be closed off from the world. |
| Patients in a vegetative state are awake, not in a coma, but have no awareness because of severe brain damage. | Patients in a vegetative state are awake, not in a coma, but have no awareness because of severe brain damage. |
| Scanning technique | Scanning technique |
| The scientists used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) which shows brain activity in real time. | The scientists used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) which shows brain activity in real time. |
| They asked patients and healthy volunteers to imagine playing tennis while they were being scanned. | They asked patients and healthy volunteers to imagine playing tennis while they were being scanned. |
| In each of the volunteers this stimulated activity in the pre-motor cortex, part of the brain which deals with movement. | In each of the volunteers this stimulated activity in the pre-motor cortex, part of the brain which deals with movement. |
| This also happened in four out of 23 of the patients presumed to be in a vegetative state. | This also happened in four out of 23 of the patients presumed to be in a vegetative state. |
| The BBC's Fergus Walsh tests the new brain scanning technique | The BBC's Fergus Walsh tests the new brain scanning technique |
| I volunteered to test out the scanning technique. | I volunteered to test out the scanning technique. |
| I gave the scientists two women's names, one of which was my mother's. | I gave the scientists two women's names, one of which was my mother's. |
| I imagined playing tennis when they said the right name, and within a minute they had worked out her name. | I imagined playing tennis when they said the right name, and within a minute they had worked out her name. |
| They were also able to guess correctly whether I had children. | They were also able to guess correctly whether I had children. |
| Questions | Questions |
| This is a continuation of research published three years ago, when the team used the same technique to establish initial contact with a patient diagnosed as vegetative. | This is a continuation of research published three years ago, when the team used the same technique to establish initial contact with a patient diagnosed as vegetative. |
| But this time they went further. | But this time they went further. |
| With one patient - a Belgian man injured in a traffic accident seven years ago - they asked a series of questions. | With one patient - a Belgian man injured in a traffic accident seven years ago - they asked a series of questions. |
| He was able to communicate "yes" and "no" using just his thoughts. | He was able to communicate "yes" and "no" using just his thoughts. |
| The team told him to use "motor" imagery like a tennis match to indicate "yes" and "spatial" imagery like thinking about roaming the streets for a "no". | The team told him to use "motor" imagery like a tennis match to indicate "yes" and "spatial" imagery like thinking about roaming the streets for a "no". |
| The patient responded accurately to five out of six autobiographical questions posed by the scientists. | The patient responded accurately to five out of six autobiographical questions posed by the scientists. |
| For example, he confirmed that his father's name was Alexander. | For example, he confirmed that his father's name was Alexander. |
| The study involved scientists from the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre in Cambridge and a Belgian team at the University of Liege. | The study involved scientists from the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre in Cambridge and a Belgian team at the University of Liege. |
| Dr Adrian Owen from the MRC in Cambridge co-authored the report: | Dr Adrian Owen from the MRC in Cambridge co-authored the report: |
| "We were astonished when we saw the results of the patient's scan and that he was able to correctly answer the questions that were asked by simply changing his thoughts." | "We were astonished when we saw the results of the patient's scan and that he was able to correctly answer the questions that were asked by simply changing his thoughts." |
| Dr Owen says this opens the way to involving such patients in their future treatment decisions: "You could ask if patients were in pain and if so prescribe painkillers and you could go on to ask them about their emotional state." | Dr Owen says this opens the way to involving such patients in their future treatment decisions: "You could ask if patients were in pain and if so prescribe painkillers and you could go on to ask them about their emotional state." |
| It does raise many ethical issues - for example - it is lawful to allow patients in a permanent vegetative state to die by withdrawing all treatment, but if a patient showed they could respond it would not be, even if they made it clear that was what they wanted. | It does raise many ethical issues - for example - it is lawful to allow patients in a permanent vegetative state to die by withdrawing all treatment, but if a patient showed they could respond it would not be, even if they made it clear that was what they wanted. |
| The Royal Hospital for Neurodisability in London is a leading assessment and treatment centre for adults with brain injuries. | The Royal Hospital for Neurodisability in London is a leading assessment and treatment centre for adults with brain injuries. |
| Helen Gill, a consultant in low awareness state, welcomed the new research but cautioned that it was still early days for the research: "It's very useful if you have a scan which can show some activity but you need a detailed sensory assessment as well. | Helen Gill, a consultant in low awareness state, welcomed the new research but cautioned that it was still early days for the research: "It's very useful if you have a scan which can show some activity but you need a detailed sensory assessment as well. |
| "A lot of patients are slipping through the net and this adds another layer to ensure patients are assessed correctly." | "A lot of patients are slipping through the net and this adds another layer to ensure patients are assessed correctly." |
| She said the hospital did a study of 60 patients admitted with a diagnosis of vegetative state and 43% could communicate. | She said the hospital did a study of 60 patients admitted with a diagnosis of vegetative state and 43% could communicate. |
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