title: [When consciousness goes].
abstract: Some neurodegenerative diseases gradually affect the patient's consciousness. While the patient may be declared incompetent, decisions concerning treatment must take into account his or her wishes, however weakly they may be expressed. A real ethical challenge for all the caregivers who must ensure the person's dignity is maintained and refrain from demonstrating therapeutic obstinacy.
authors.affiliation: Centre hospitalier de Carcassonne. ctannier@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tannier
mesh_terms: D026686:Beneficence; D003128:Coma; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State; D026684:Personal Autonomy