Is there a mind? Electrophysiology of unconscious patients.
Event related brain potentials (ERPs) provide information about cortical processing in severe neurological patients whose cognitive abilities cannot be expressed in their behavior. In coma, ERPs contribute to the prediction of the outcome. In a vegetative state, ERPs uncover the functional state of cortical processes. The significance of ERPs in the neurophysiological study of consciousness is discussed.
Kotchoubey
Boris
B
Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany.
Lang
Simone
S
Bostanov
Vladimir
V
Birbaumer
Niels
N
D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D003128:Coma / Q000503:physiopathology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State / Q000503:physiopathology; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000503:physiopathology*