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Drug Found to Aid Vegetative Patients

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the super-smelling-salts dept.

Oxygen99 writes "BBC News is reporting on some amazing effects of a drug called Zolpidem on patients suffering from persistent vegetative state. Apparently the drug, usually used to treat insomnia, activates dormant areas of the brain that can make patients aware of their surroundings and even hold conversations. This raises several interesting points including the diagnosis of PVS and the attendant ethics of the associated life support, as well as the way the brain responds to injury and damage."

3 of 353 comments (clear)

  1. Great! by William+Robinson · · Score: 5, Funny
    Apparently the drug, usually used to treat insomnia, activates dormant areas of the brain that can make patients aware of their surroundings and even hold conversations.

    Great!!! Finally they found medicine for my boss!!

    FP, BTW?

    --
    hilarious
  2. Perfect for IT by s0l3d4d · · Score: 5, Funny

    A person in a vegetative state will appear to be awake and may have their eyes open, but will show no awareness of their surroundings.

    They will not be able to interact with other people, and will show no responses to sounds or things that happen around them.

    But they will show signs of movement, and cycles of sleep and may be able to breathe on their own.

    So what would happen if they would start to give these drugs to technical support people and system admins? Would they also start to show responses to their environment, and manage to hold a conversation?

  3. Bah by dumdeedum · · Score: 5, Funny

    Drugs to aid vegetative patients is ridiculous when you can simply cure them by feeding them meat.