Up to one in four patients who are unresponsive after suffering serious brain injuries might actually still be conscious – indicating more patients may be aware of their surroundings than previously realized, new research suggests.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/18838026

Up to one in four patients who are unresponsive after suffering serious brain injuries might actually still be conscious – indicating more patients may be aware of their surroundings than previously realized, new research suggests.

This state of ‘hidden consciousness’ is now officially known as cognitive motor dissociation (CMD), where cognitive (or thinking) abilities aren’t connected to motor (or movement) abilities. Researchers have been looking into CMD for several years.

However, 62 percent of an additional 112 patients who were visibly responding to instructions at the bedside didn’t exhibit the expected brain signals showing responsiveness – so the researchers suggest their methods still don’t detect everyone with cognitive function.

  • just_another_person
    551·
    2 months ago

    However, 62 percent of an additional 112 patients who were visibly responding to instructions at the bedside didn’t exhibit the expected brain signals showing responsiveness – so the researchers suggest their methods still don’t detect everyone with cognitive function.

    AKA: kinda bullshit science. ~50% of the time they’re seeing the wrong thing? That’s not even in the range of what people would consider to be a hypothesis I’d say.

    • rockSlayer
      191·
      2 months ago

      I wouldn’t call it bullshit, it’s the media cycle trying to find interesting research for profitable articles that spun the bullshit. This is likely a secondary study on the way to scientifically measuring consciousness. “Publish or perish” type shit.

    • Baron Von JOP
      90·
      2 months ago

      Yeah, brains are weird. I’m glad they included this flip side of the study.

  • some_guy
    470·
    2 months ago

    I can’t imagine a greater hell than being trapped in my own mind without the ability to move or communicate. This is interesting and unsettling at the same time.

    • Okokimup
      40·
      2 months ago

      This is the premise of Johnny Got His Gun, an anti-war novel by Dalton Trumbo.

      • SHOW_ME_YOUR_ASSHOLE
        70·
        2 months ago

        Great book and also where Metallica got the inspiration for their song “One”.

        • shalafiEnglish
          40·
          2 months ago2 months ago

          Metallica’s first ever video. My teenage ass stumbled in one night, turned on Mtv’s Headbanger Ball and saw, “The world premiere of Metallica’s ONE!”

          Jesus help me, did not expect that.

          (For those not around at the time, Metallica swore to never sell out and do an Mtv video. Ever.)

          • I'm back on my BS 🤪English
            10·
            2 months ago

            Metallica swore to never sell out

            They tricked me too. Then that Napster thing happened.

      • some_guy
        20·
        2 months ago

        I didn’t realize that was Trumbo or that he wrote novels. All I knew of him was scripts. Thanks for that info.

  • FubarberryEnglish
    230·
    2 months ago

    Well that’s kinda terrifying. Being “locked in” is one of the scarier things I can imagine, and it sounds like it might be a lot more common than we thought.

    • Baron Von JOP
      120·
      2 months ago

      Yeah, have been in the room with a comatose person. Some people are good at just dumping out a one-sided conversation, but not me. The inclusion of the percentage of people who were clearly responsive but whose brain scans didn’t indicate the expected activity is really important to take note of though. Really does need more study to refine our understanding.

  • Anissem
    61·
    2 months ago

    Someone send this to the Black Mirror crew for a new episode idea.

    • Baron Von JOP
      10·
      2 months ago

      Did anyone check this comment for CMD before deleting?

      • moktor
        10·
        1 month ago

        Howdy! I deleted this comment myself. I was having trouble posting an image and gave up.