title: Terminology in evolution: caveats, conundrums and controversies.
abstract: Over the past 30 years, there has been an ongoing evolution in the nomenclature used to describe individuals in low-level neurological states. The appropriateness of historically well-entrenched nomenclature germane to persons in low level neurological states following brain injury continues to be debated. The effort to develop a cross disciplinary uniform set of descriptive terms for individuals in such states has continued to evolve as efforts for interdisciplinary collaborative consensus and guideline development has continued to make progress over the last decade. The intent of this article is to provide clinicians with a better understanding of some of the history behind the nomenclature, as well as, some ongoing controversies, caveats and conundrums that face us as health care professionals as related to the development of a rationale, uniform nomenclature for this special population of neurological patients.
authors.affiliation: Concussion Care Center of Virginia, Inc., Ltd., Glen Allen, VA 23060, USA. nzasler@cccv-ltd.com
authors.forename: Nathan D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Zasler
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State; D009626:Terminology as Topic