title: Functional neuroimaging applications for assessment and rehabilitation planning in patients with disorders of consciousness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the theoretic framework, design, and potential clinical applications of functional neuroimaging protocols in patients with disorders of consciousness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recent published literature and authors' own work.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies using functional neuroimaging techniques to investigate cognitive processing in patients diagnosed with vegetative and minimally conscious state.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positron-emission tomography activation studies suggest that the vegetative state represents a global disconnection syndrome in which higher order association cortices are functionally disconnected from primary cortical areas. In contrast, patterns of activation in functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of patients in the minimally conscious state show preservation of large-scale cortical networks associated with language and visual processing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Novel applications of functional neuroimaging in patients with disorders of consciousness may aid in differential diagnosis, prognostic assessment and identification of pathophysiologic mechanisms. Improvements in patient characterization may, in turn, provide new opportunities for restoration of function through interventional neuromodulation.
authors.affiliation: JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, and New Jersey Neuroscience Institute, JFK Medical Center, Edison, NJ 08818, USA. jgiacino@solarishs.org
authors.forename: Joseph T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Giacino
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schiff
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laureys
mesh_terms: D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology