title: Brain connectivity in disorders of consciousness.
abstract: The last 10 years witnessed a considerable increase in our knowledge of brain function in survivors to severe brain injuries with disorders of consciousness (DOC). At the same time, a growing interest developed for the use of functional neuroimaging as a new diagnostic tool in these patients. In this context, particular attention has been devoted to connectivity studies-as these, more than measures of brain metabolism, may be more appropriate to capture the dynamics of large populations of neurons. Here, we will review the pros and cons of various connectivity methods as potential diagnostic tools in brain-damaged patients with DOC. We will also discuss the relevance of the study of the level versus the contents of consciousness in this context.
authors.affiliation: Coma Science Group, Cyclotron Research Centre and Neurology Department, University of Liège and CHU Sart Tilman Hospital, Liège, Belgium. mboly@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boly
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massimini
authors.forename: Marta Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gosseries
authors.forename: Quentin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Noirhomme
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laureys
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soddu
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003244:Consciousness Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods