1 in 4 Unresponsive People with Brain Injuries May Be Conscious

image via New Scientist

August 16, 2024, 7:30 PM

• •A new study finds that at least one-quarter of people who have severe brain injuries and cannot respond physically to commands are actually conscious.
• •The results mean that a substantial number of people with brain injuries who seem unresponsive can hear things going on around them and might even be able to use brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) to communicate.
• •The study was published on August 14 in The New England Journal of Medicine.

A new study has found that one-quarter of people who have severe brain injuries and cannot respond physically to commands are actually conscious. The results mean that a substantial number of people with brain injuries who seem unresponsive can hear things going on around them and might even be able to use brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) to communicate.

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