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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. just kill me by m874t232 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If my brain has been damaged so much that I can only be roused to awareness of my surroundings by a drug that artificially and temporarily activates bits and pieces of my brain, I just want to die quickly and painlessly. As far as I'm concerned, the biggest crime against me would be to keep me alive.

  2. Re:Important distinction by Viol8 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "Her parents desperately fought to keep her alive, because she could make sounds, move her limbs, keep solid eye contact on someone"

    So can an ant. It doesn't make them human. If the personality is gone
    and theres no sign of intellect all you have left is a base functioning
    brain.

    "It was downright horrible and state approved MURDER."

    In your opinion. Perhaps if you'd been her husband you might have a
    different opinion. You sanctamonious types are all mouth. I'd love to see
    one of have to see your wife be a vegetable for years or even decades
    and see if you still have your arrogant self righteous opinions then.

    "Ths drug could have helped her have a normal life, but she did not live long enough to ever have the chance to try it!"

    And many people in the middle ages died because they couldn't wait 500
    years for anti biotics to be invented. So fscking what?

  3. This might help my daughter - more info? by dzogchen · · Score: 5, Interesting

    My eldest child has an undiagnosed condition that has left her unable to walk, talk, move, eat etc. The condition developed gradually and doctors say that the problem seems to be in the brain stem. I gather that GABA affects the working of the brain stem.

    Does anyone have a link to the actual paper, or more info on this? I hesitate to grind up an Ambien and put it in her G-tube, but even the thought of something that might help her brings tears to my eyes as I write this. You have no idea what it is like to watch your child essentially disintegrate right before your eyes -- it's been 18 years of torture.

    Thanks in advance for any help.