Coma and Vegetative Individuals May Be Aware of Surroundings

Generally many have the belief that individuals who are comatose or in a vegetative state are unaware of their surroundings. There are several cases of individuals who have been in a coma for several years saying that they seem to be dreaming and are not aware that time has passed. But according to the latest study by scientists, 1 in 5 individuals who are comatose or in a vegetative state may be aware of their surroundings.The study was conducted by Weill Cornell Medical College in New York on 353 individuals with serious brain injuries. They were given voice commands to think about doing activities such as walking, holding hands, or swimming. Instructions are given for 15-30 seconds before stopping and then repeated 7 times within 5 minutes.Scientists know that brain activity is detected when the same instructions are given to people who have not suffered a serious brain injury. The brain activity of 353 individuals in the study was recorded using EEG or MRI equipment. Among those who were comatose and in a vegetative state, 20% gave the same brain activity readings as people without brain injuries.Scientists do not know what goes on in the minds of these people but the data shows that they may be aware of their surroundings unlike what is believed. This raises the ethical question of whether the action of turning off the life support machine of a comatose or vegetative state is the right action. They may be aware of what is going on but cannot do anything to stop it. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine