Coma researcher Steven Laureys and his colleagues used fMRI to reexamine 54 patients previously diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state,or brain dead.Patients were repeatedly asked to imagine swinging a tennis racquet or walking down a familiar street.Five of the patients showed clearly different brain activity to the two tasks despite being unable to communicate with doctors in any other way.These results suggest that not all patients are brain-dead,but instead some may have
A) Broca's aphasia.
B) spatial neglect.
C) locked-in syndrome.
D) neurogenic agnosia.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms described in the scenario - being unable to communicate but showing signs of awareness - are consistent with locked-in syndrome, in which patients are fully conscious but are unable to move or speak due to damage to the brainstem. The other conditions listed do not fit the symptoms described in the scenario.

Coma Researcher Steven Laureys and His Colleagues Used FMRI to Reexamine