Circadian rhythms in the vegetative state.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether vegetative state patients maintain circadian rhythms.


METHODS
An observational study of five single cases.


METHODS
Five chronic vegetative state patients underwent clinical and neurological evaluations and 2-week continuous temperature measurements.


RESULTS
The two patients with traumatic brain injury showed well-formed circadian temperature rhythms and had more reflexive behaviours and relatively low cortical and sub-cortical atrophy, whereas the three patients from anoxic-hypoxic origin demonstrated no cycles or rhythmic behaviour.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of periods of wakefulness does not imply preserved sleep-wake cycling capacity, nor preserved circadian rhythms and it should not be taken as a distinguishing feature for the definition of the vegetative state.
Bekinschtein
T A
TA
Institute of Cognitive Neurology, Buenos Aires, Argentina. tristan.bekinschtein@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
Golombek
D A
DA
Simonetta
S H
SH
Coleman
M R
MR
Manes
F F
FF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult