Article
Rehabilitation
Jennifer A. Weaver, John Liu, Ann Guernon, Theresa Bender Pape, Trudy Mallinson
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the construct validity and measurement precision of the Coma Near-Coma scale in measuring neurobehavioral function in patients with disorders of consciousness. Results showed that the items of the CNC reflected good construct validity and acceptable interrater reliability. The CNC achieved good measurement precision in the full sample.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2021)
Article
Rehabilitation
Sandra Rodgin, Stacy J. Suskauer, Julia Chen, Elana Katz, Kimberly C. Davis, Beth S. Slomine
Summary: This study investigated functional outcomes and state of consciousness at 1 year and >2 years post-injury in children with traumatic brain injury and disorder of consciousness upon admission to inpatient rehabilitation. Results showed majority of patients emerged from DOC by 1 year post-injury, but continued to demonstrate notable functional impairment at follow-up, including a significant proportion with severe disability.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Tomohiro Yamaki, Naoya Hatakeyama, Takemi Murayama, Mika Funakura, Takuya Hara, Shinji Onodera, Daisuke Ito, Maidinamu Yakufujiang, Masaru Odaki, Nobuo Oka, Shigeki Kobayashi
Summary: In this pilot study, the researchers investigated whether assessing regional brain glucose metabolism using FDG-PET at rest could predict voluntary movement in severe TBI patients, particularly those with sufficient upper limb capacity. The results showed that glucose uptake in specific areas of the primary motor cortex may reflect contralateral voluntary movement. FDG-PET may be a useful biomarker for predicting long-term recovery of motor function in severe TBI patients with disorders of consciousness.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Dominique Morlet, Jeremie Mattout, Catherine Fischer, Jacques Luaute, Frederic Dailler, Perrine Ruby, Nathalie Andre-Obadia
Summary: Early functional evaluation and prognosis of patients with disorders of consciousness is a major challenge. This study used electroencephalogram to detect voluntary attention and found that about 21% of patients responded positively to the test. The ability to sustain attention on demand predicted awakening within 6 months.
CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jennifer A. Weaver, Vera Pertsovskaya, Jasmine Tran, Allan J. Kozlowski, Ann Guernon, Theresa Bender Pape, Trudy Mallinson
Summary: This study aimed to establish the responsiveness indices for the CNC scale with and without pain stimuli. The study found that the CNC 8-item and 10-item scales show comparable responsiveness in measuring neurobehavioral function recovery.
BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Karin Diserens, Ivo A. Meyer, Jane Johr, Alessandro Pincherle, Vincent Dunet, Polona Pozeg, Philippe Ryvlin, Dafin F. Muresanu, Robert D. Stevens, Nicholas D. Schiff
Summary: Brain-injured patients with cognitive motor dissociation (CMD) show a lack of command following using conventional neurobehavioral examination tools, but demonstrate high levels of awareness and language processing using advanced imaging and electrophysiology techniques. By expanding motor testing and detecting subtle, purposeful movements, even patients classified as vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness state may exhibit slight but determined motor responses. The term clinical CMD is proposed to describe these patients, who have hidden cognitive capabilities and potential for a good long-term outcome.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesco Riganello, Paolo Tonin, Andrea Soddu
Summary: Pain assessment and management in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) is crucial for detecting consciousness and promoting recovery. This review discusses the role of pain in consciousness, challenges in pain assessment, pharmacological treatment, and the implications of pain assessment in detecting changes in consciousness. The Nociception Coma Scale and its revised version, as well as the controversies surrounding pharmacological pain treatment, are also explored. Additionally, recent evidence suggests that accurate pain assessment can predict changes in the level of consciousness in unresponsive wakefulness syndrome/vegetative state patients, emphasizing the importance of ongoing pain management.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Piergiuseppe Liuzzi, Bahia Hakiki, Maenia Scarpino, Rachele Burali, Antonio Maiorelli, Francesca Draghi, Anna Maria Romoli, Antonello Grippo, Francesca Cecchi, Andrea Mannini
Summary: Detecting residual signs of consciousness is crucial for personalized neurorehabilitation treatments. This study proposes an innovative approach by assessing the amount of autonomic information within the brain and found that EEG-ECG mutual information is higher in patients with Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome and Minimally Consciousness State minus (MCS -). The measure of residual consciousness signs is robust and can provide complementary insights for the objective assessment of patients' consciousness levels.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Sung Ho Jang, Min Jye Cho
Summary: Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) appears to be effective and safe in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) according to the reviewed studies. However, further research is needed to overcome limitations such as the small number of studies, lack of control or sham groups, and lack of standardization in treatment schedules and electrical stimulation parameters.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Haiyun Ma, Shengnuo Fan, Zhen Xu, Xiaoting Wan, Qian Yang, Yuping Yin, Xuemeng Wu, Shaoling Wu, Hong Zhang, Chao Ma
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) on patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDoC) caused by stroke, trauma, and anoxia. The results showed that the TNS group had significantly higher scores on the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) compared to the sham group. Additionally, 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) revealed increased brain metabolism in specific areas of the TNS group. Therefore, TNS may increase local brain metabolism and promote functional recovery in pDoC patients.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Danielle M. F. Driessen, Cecile M. A. Utens, Gerard M. Ribbers, Willemijn S. van Erp, Majanka H. Heijenbrok-Kal
Summary: The DOCTOR study aims to track multiple short- and long-term outcomes of PDOC patients receiving early intensive neurorehabilitation, including changes in level of consciousness, frequency and type of medical complications, disability level, participation, and quality of life. The study also considers secondary outcomes such as caregiver self-efficacy, caregiver strain, and cost-effectiveness of the program.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Moshgan Amiri, Patrick M. Fisher, Federico Raimondo, Annette Sidaros, Melita Cacic Hribljan, Marwan H. Othman, Ivan Zibrandtsen, Simon A. Albrechtsen, Ove Bergdal, Adam Espe Hansen, Christian Hassager, Joan Lilja S. Hojgaard, Elisabeth Waldemar Jakobsen, Helene Ravnholt Jensen, Jacob Moller, Vardan Nersesjan, Miki Nikolic, Markus Harboe Olsen, Sigurdur Thor Sigurdsson, Jacobo D. Sitt, Christine Solling, Karen Lise Welling, Lisette M. Willumsen, John Hauerberg, Vibeke Andree Larsen, Martin Ejler Fabricius, Gitte Moos Knudsen, Jesper Kjaergaard, Kirsten Moller, Daniel Kondziella
Summary: This study aimed to assess the accuracy of fMRI and EEG in identifying residual consciousness in patients with acute disorders of consciousness (DoC) in the intensive care unit (ICU). The study found that a combination of fMRI and EEG features can predict the level of consciousness in patients, which is important for clinical decision-making.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Alfonso Magliacano, Francesco De Bellis, Francesco Panico, Laura Sagliano, Luigi Trojano, Claudio Sandroni, Anna Estraneo
Summary: This study assessed the long-term outcome and predictive value of demographic and clinical information for patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness caused by anoxic brain injury. The results showed that the mortality rate was 26%, the rate of any clinical improvement was 26%, and the rate of full recovery of consciousness was 17%. Younger age, a baseline diagnosis of minimally conscious state, higher Coma Recovery Scale Revised total score, and earlier admission to intensive rehabilitation units were associated with a higher likelihood of survival, clinical improvement, and recovery of full consciousness.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Stephen Ashford, Rasheed A. Mohammed Meeran, Teresa Clark, Macarena Montesinos Ruiz, Karen Hoffman, Diane Playford, Anand Pandyan
Summary: The study aimed to identify consensus for best practice in physical management for people with a Prolonged Disorder of Consciousness, resulting in refined recommendations for acute care, post-acute care, and long-term care. These recommendations provide a basis for standardizing current practice and evaluating care effectiveness. An accessible guideline document is planned for publication to support implementation into practice.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL AND REHABILITATION MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lennart R. B. Spindler, Andrea Luppi, Ram M. Adapa, Michael M. Craig, Peter Coppola, Alexander R. D. Peattie, Anne E. Manktelow, Paola Finoia, Barbara J. Sahakian, Guy B. Williams, Judith Allanson, John D. Pickard, David K. Menon, Emmanuel A. Stamatakis
Summary: This study investigated the functional connectivity changes of the dopaminergic ventral tegmental area (VTA) and its relationship with consciousness alterations. The results suggest a neuromodulatory role of VTA in consciousness, highlighting the importance of the dopaminergic system in understanding macroscopic network alterations related to consciousness.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biology
Steven Jillings, Ekaterina Pechenkova, Elena Tomilovskaya, Ilya Rukavishnikov, Ben Jeurissen, Angelique Van Ombergen, Inna Nosikova, Alena Rumshiskaya, Liudmila Litvinova, Jitka Annen, Chloe De Laet, Catho Schoenmaekers, Jan Sijbers, Victor Petrovichev, Stefan Sunaert, Paul M. Parizel, Valentin Sinitsyn, Peter zu Eulenburg, Steven Laureys, Athena Demertzi, Floris L. Wuyts
Summary: This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the impact of prolonged microgravity on the human brain. The results showed changes in brain functional connectivity, providing insights into the adaptations and modifications occurring during spaceflight and upon return to Earth.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Aminata Bicego, Helena Cassol, Jessica Simon, Pauline Fritz, Simona Abagnale, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Steven Laureys, Charlotte Martial
Summary: This study investigated the potential personality and psychological predictors of near-death experiences (NDEs) and near-death-like experiences (NDEs-like). The results showed that the recall of NDEs-like was associated with endorsement of spiritual beliefs, while the recall of NDEs was associated with Openness and Fantasy proneness.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Rajanikant Panda, Ane Lopez-Gonzalez, Matthieu Gilson, Olivia Gosseries, Aurore Thibaut, Gianluca Frasso, Benedetta Cecconi, Anira Escrichs, Gustavo Deco, Steven Laureys, Gorka Zamora-Lopez, Jitka Annen
Summary: The study of brain's dynamic activity is helping in the clinical assessment of patients with consciousness disorders. The reduced neural propagation and responsiveness to events in patients with disorders of consciousness is related to severe reduction in glucose metabolism. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms behind consciousness disorders, combining network function with measures of brain integrity and behavior.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2023)
Correction
Critical Care Medicine
Emanuele Rezoagli, Matteo Petrosino, Paola Rebora, David Menon, Stefania Mondello, D. James Cooper, Andrew I. R. Maas, Eveline J. A. Wiegers, Stefania Galimberti, Giuseppe Citerio, Cecilia Ackerlund, Krisztina Amrein, Nada Andelic, Lasse Andreassen, Audny Anke, Gerard Audibert, Philippe Azouvi, Maria Luisa Azzolini, Ronald Bartels, Ronny Beer, Bo-Michael Bellander, Habib Benali, Maurizio Berardino, Luigi Beretta, Erta Beqiri, Morten Blaabjerg, Stine Borgen Lund, Camilla Brorsson, Andras M. Buki, Manuel Cabeleira, Alessio Caccioppola, Emiliana Calappi, Maria Rosa Calvi, Peter Cameron, Guillermo Carbayo Lozano, Marco Carbonara, Ana D. Castano-Leon, Simona Cavallo, Giorgio Chevallard, Arturo Chieregato, Hans Clusmann, Mark Steven Coburn, Jonathan Coles, Jamie Cooper, Marta Correia, Endre Czeiter, Marek Czosnyka, Claire Dahyot-Fizelier, Paul Dark, Veronique Keyser, Vincent Degos, Francesco Della Corte, Hugo Boogert, Bart Depreitere, Dula Dilvesi, Abhishek Dixit, Jens Dreier, Guy-Loup Duliere, Ari Ercole, Erzsebet Ezer, Martin Fabricius, Kelly Foks, Shirin A. Frisvold, Alex Furmanov, Damien Galanaud, Dashiell Gantner, Alexandre Ghuysen, Lelde Giga, Jagos Golubovic, Pedro Gomez, Benjamin J. Gravesteijn, Francesca Grossi, Deepak Gupta, Iain Haitsma, Raimund G. Helbok, Eirik Helseth, Jilske Huijben, Peter Hutchinson, Stefan Jankowski, Faye Johnson, Mladen Karan, Angelos Kolias, Daniel Kondziella, Evgenios Kornaropoulos, Lars-Owe Koskinen, Noemi Kovacs, Ana Kowark, Alfonso Lagares, Steven Laureys, Aurelie Lejeune, Fiona Lecky, Didier Ledoux, Roger Lightfoot, Hester Lingsma, Alex Manara, Hugues Marechal, Costanza Martino, Julia Mattern, Catherine McMahon, Tomas Menovsky, Benoit Misset, Visakh Muraleedharan, Lynnette Murray, Ancuta Negru, David Nelson, Virginia Newcombe, Jozsef Nyiradi, Fabrizio Ortolano, Jean-Francois Payen, Vincent Perlbarg, Paolo P. Persona, Wilco Peul, Anna Piippo-Karjalainen, Horia Ples, Inigo Pomposo, Jussi Posti, Louis Puybasset, Andreea Radoi, Arminas Ragauskas, Rahul Raj, Jonathan Rhodes, Sophie Richter, Saulius Rocka, Cecilie Roe, Olav Roise, Jeffrey Rosenfeld, Christina Rosenlund, Guy Rosenthal, Rolf Rossaint, Sandra Rossi, Juan Sahuquillo, Oliver Sakowitz, Renan Sanchez-Porras, Oddrun Sandrod, Kari Schirmer-Mikalsen, Rico Frederik W. Schou, Charlie Sewalt, Peter Smielewski, Abayomi Sorinola, Emmanuel Stamatakis, Ewout Steyerberg, Nino Stocchetti, Nina Sundstroem, Riikka Takala, Viktoria Tamas, Tomas Tamosuitis, Olli Tenovuo, Matt Thomas, Dick Tibboel, Christos Tolias, Tony Trapani, Cristina Maria Tudora, Andreas Unterberg, Peter Vajkoczy, Egils A. Valeinis, Shirley Vallance, Zoltan Vamos, Gregory Steen, T. J. M. van Dijck Jeroen, Thomas Essen, Roel Wijk, Alessia Vargiolu, Emmanuel Vega, Anne Vik, Rimantas Vilcinis, Victor Volovici, Peter Vulekovic, Eveline A. Wiegers, Guy Williams, Stefan Winzeck, Stefan Wolf, Alexander Younsi, Frederick Zeiler, Agate Ziverte, Tommaso V. Zoerle, Russel Gruen, Lynette Murray, Dinesh Varma, Christopher MacIsaac, Andrea Jordan
INTENSIVE CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Charlotte Martial, Helena Cassol, Mel Slater, Pierre Bourdin, Armand Mensen, Ramon Oliva, Steven Laureys, Pablo Nunez
Summary: Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are subjective experiences of seeing one's own body and the environment from a location outside the physical body. They can be induced using technology like virtual reality, and in this experiment, virtual OBE-like experiences were induced in participants using a multisensory method of virtual embodiment. EEG analysis revealed an increase in delta and a decrease in alpha power, as well as a reduction in theta complexity and an increase in beta-2 connectivity, suggesting the involvement of these brain activities in the subjective experience of OBEs.
JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Rajanikant Panda, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Andrea Piarulli, Jitka Annen, Athena Demertzi, Naji Alnagger, Srivas Chennu, Steven Laureys, Marie-Elisabeth Faymonville, Olivia Gosseries
Summary: This study investigates altered brain dynamics during hypnosis, using high-density EEG measurements. The results show modified connectivity in the brain, with increased connectivity between frontal and parietal regions and decreased connectivity in alpha and beta-2 bands. These changes suggest a modification in the internal and external awareness brain networks and may reflect more efficient cognitive-processing and lower incidences of mind-wandering during hypnosis.
JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Pavlos Topalidis, Dominik P. J. Heib, Sebastian Baron, Esther-Sevil Eigl, Alexandra Hinterberger, Manuel Schabus
Summary: A novel, low-cost, automatized, deep learning alternative to PSG sleep staging is presented, which uses inter-beat-interval (IBI) data to classify sleep stages. This method reduces the need for personnel and time-consuming manual sleep staging.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fangfang Shou, Jing Wang, Steven Laureys, Lijuan Cheng, Wangshan Huang, Haibo Di
Summary: The aim of this study is to develop a sensitive, professional, and simple telephone follow-up scale for patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) to track their prognosis, especially the recovery of consciousness. Expert consultation is used to construct and validate the scale on-site. Currently, there is a strong demand for portable, accurate, and easily operated scales to improve the rehabilitation data of prolonged DoC patients and provide more basis for their treatment and rehabilitation.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Business
Frederic Ooms, Jitka Annen, Rajanikant Panda, Paul Meunier, Luaba Tshibanda, Steven Laureys, Jeffrey M. M. Pollack, Bernard Surlemont
Summary: Despite the limited use of functional brain imaging (fMRI) in entrepreneurship research, this study showcases the application of resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) in neuroentrepreneurship for the first time. Unlike traditional task-based fMRI, rs-fMRI explores the brain in the absence of cognitive tasks or stimulus presentation, providing valuable insights into the entrepreneurial mind. By utilizing seed-based correlation analysis, the study reveals increased functional connectivity between the insula and anterior prefrontal cortex in habitual entrepreneurs compared to managers, suggesting potential benefits for flexible behavior. This exemplar expands our understanding of the brain in entrepreneurship and highlights the need for further research and challenges to incorporate rs-fMRI into neuroentrepreneurship.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Marie M. Vitello, Marie-Michele Briand, Didier Ledoux, Jitka Annen, Riem El Tahry, Steven Laureys, Didier Martin, Olivia Gosseries, Aurore Thibaut
Summary: This clinical trial aims to evaluate the therapeutic clinical effects of transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC), investigate the neural mechanisms underlying its effects, assess the feasibility and safety of the procedure, define the phenotype of clinical responders, and assess the long-term efficacy of taVNS in terms of functional outcomes. The study will be a prospective parallel randomized controlled double-blind trial, with 44 early post-injury patients randomly receiving either active taVNS or sham stimulation for 5 days. Behavioral and neurophysiological measures will be collected at baseline and the end of the treatment period to analyze changes at the group and individual levels. The results will contribute to understanding the role of taVNS and provide potential therapeutic strategies for DoC patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
C. Florea, J. Preiss, W. R. Gruber, M. Angerer, M. Schabus
Summary: This study investigates the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on new mothers and their babies, finding a high prevalence of postnatal depression symptoms and moderate levels of perceived stress. The study also shows that reduced social support and negative perceived pandemic repercussions are strong predictors of high stress and depression levels. Additionally, high-risk pregnancies are the most important predictor of negative childbirth experiences.
COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Leandro R. D. Sanz, Steven Laureys, Olivia Gosseries
Summary: Understanding the mechanisms of human consciousness is crucial in improving the prognosis and treatment of severely brain-injured patients. Recent advances in neuroscience have allowed scientists to better understand consciousness disorders and have led to significant changes in clinical practice. This review examines the impact of consciousness neurosciences on the management of severe brain injury and highlights the need for a multimodal framework based on precision medicine and evidence-based decisions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Coline Gregoire, Steve Majerus
Summary: The unitary nature of resistance to interference (RI) processes, whether they are central cognitive processes or specific to stimulus domains, is still a contentious issue. This mini-review examines behavioral, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging evidence on domain-general RI processes by focusing on visual, verbal phonological, and verbal semantic domains. While there are overall low associations between RI capacity across domains in behavioral studies, neuropsychological studies reveal dissociations for RI abilities between the three domains. Neuroimaging studies show a left vs. right hemisphere distinction for verbal vs. visual RI, and distinct neural processes in the left inferior frontal gyrus for phonological vs. semantic RI. Despite results supporting domain-specific RI processes, caution is advised due to methodological caveats in interpreting existing studies.
PSYCHOLOGICA BELGICA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Pavlos I. Topalidis, Sebastian Baron, Dominik P. J. Heib, Esther-Sevil Eigl, Alexandra Hinterberger, Manuel Schabus
Summary: This study optimized a sleep classification procedure by using wearable devices to record signals and improving accuracy through advanced quality control and a loss function model. The results demonstrate high accuracy of the optimized model on multiple sensors, with improvements in deep sleep and wake, and consistency with normal sleep parameters.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Viktoriia Predko, Manuel Schabus, Ivan Danyliuk
Summary: The study identified the relationship between mental health and hardiness in the Ukrainian population. A prognostic model based on linear regression analysis identified the main predictors of personal hardiness and confirmed correlational analysis.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)