Comment on "Detecting awareness in the vegetative state".
In a report of a single patient in a persistent vegetative state, Owen et al. (Brevia, 8 September 2006, p. 1402) claimed that the presence of task-specific brain activation in response to verbal command implies both covert conscious awareness and a capacity for intention. We argue that neither can be securely inferred from the evidence presented.
Nachev
Parashkev
P
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Imperial College London, UK. p.nachev@imperial.ac.uk
Husain
Masud
M
D001364:Awareness; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003243:Consciousness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*