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Vegetative State Man 'Talks' By Brain Scan

Posted by Soulskill on from the fleet-captain-pike-would-be-proud dept.

c0lo writes "'Severely brain-injured Scott Routley hasn't spoken in 12 years. None of his physical assessments since then have shown any sign of awareness, or ability to communicate, thus being diagnosed as vegetative (vegetative patients emerge from a coma into a condition where they have periods awake, with their eyes open, but have no perception of themselves or the outside world).' Scott Routley was asked questions while having his brain activity scanned in an fMRI machine. British neuroscientist Prof Adrian Owen said Mr Routley was clearly not vegetative. 'Scott has been able to show he has a conscious, thinking mind. We have scanned him several times and his pattern of brain activity shows he is clearly choosing to answer our questions. We believe he knows who and where he is.' As a consequence, medical textbooks would need to be updated to include Prof Owen's techniques, because only observational assessments (as opposed to using mind-readers) of Mr. Routley have continued to suggest he is vegetative. Functional MRI machines are expensive (up to $2 million), but it's quite possible that a portable high-end EEG machine, costing about $75,000, can be used at a patient's bedside. Phillip K. Dick's world is one step closer."

3 of 202 comments (clear)

  1. I'm loath to ask: by newcastlejon · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Will they ask him if he wants to die?

    --
    If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
    1. Re:I'm loath to ask: by geekoid · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Not me. Keep me going. I would rather be bored then dead. They might be able to cure me someday.

      In the mean time please leave the TV on. maybe get an EKG machine that lets me interface with a computer.

      You sir, are a quitter.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  2. fMRI has problems by capedgirardeau · · Score: 5, Interesting

    fMRI has problems and is very subject to interpretation, misuse and manipulation.

    For example the now classic dead fish fMRI tests:
    http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/09/fmrisalmon/

    I am very skeptical of this until it has been repeated, tested and evaluated in other settings by different researchers.

    For some reason when reading the story, it really reminded me of "facilitated communication" which is a terrible, cruel scam non-communicative and vegetative or near vegetative state people are subject to. I realize this is different, but really not very different.

    --
    Wax on, wax off baby!