[Functional magnetic imaging of brain cortical activities in minimally conscious patients stimulated by visual presentation].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether a large-scale visual network and visual consciousness are still retained in the patients with minimally conscious state (MCT) and the possibility of promoting the rehabilitation of brain function by visual stimulation.


METHODS
Fifteen standardized pictures provided by the International Affective Picture System (IAPS2005) were passively presented to 10 normal adult controls and 9 patients in MCT recovering from severe craniocerebral injury or cerebral hemorrhage. Functional magnetic imaging was conducted. The AFNI software was used to process the images thus collected.


RESULTS
The primary visual cortex, occipital lobe, and the secondary visual cortexes, including temporal lobe, parietal lobe, fusiform gyrus, orbital gyrus, and prefrontal lobe were all activated in the 10 normal persons. Similar visual activation was found in 2 of the patients in MCS, however, with a smaller activation volume. Activation of partial visual network was found in 3 patients and the other 4 failed to be activated.


CONCLUSIONS
It is feasible to promote the rehabilitation of brain function by visual stimulation in the patients in MCS.
Wu
Xue-hai
XH
Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, National Key Laboratory for Medical Neurobiology, Biomedical Science Institutes, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Zhu
Jian-hong
JH
Gao
Liang
L
Zhong
Ping
P
Tang
Wei-jun
WJ
Zhou
Liang-fu
LF
D000328:Adult; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003243:Consciousness; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology