Release date: 2017-09-28 A 35-year-old man who has been in the vegetative state for 15 years because of a car accident, emerged after a neurosurgeon implanted a vagus nerve stimulator into his chest. This is not a science fiction story, but a fact. Because it really happened in a study by CNRS researchers and clinicians in France. Stimulating the vagus nerve can help people with epilepsy and depression, but restoring consciousness to people who have been in the vegetative state for many years is a major breakthrough. This result challenges the inherent understanding that it has been widely believed that the disturbance of consciousness that lasts for more than 12 months is irreversible. Vagus nerve stimulator schematic source network The vagus nerve is the longest and most widely distributed pair of cranial nerves. It has many important branches in the neck, chest and abdomen. It is involved in the regulation of vital organs in the body and is important in awakening, alertness and many other basic functions. To test whether stimulating the vagus nerve can restore consciousness, and to ensure that any transformation is impossible, it is a coincidence. CNRS researchers and clinicians have chosen a difficult case to try and observe - this is a patient who has been in the vegetative state for more than a decade and has no signs of waking up before treatment. Significant improvement and change After a month of vagus nerve stimulation, the researchers found that the patient's attention, movement, and brain activity improved significantly. This person began to respond to simple commands that were previously impossible. For example, he can track the object with his eyes and turn the head as required. His mother reported that his ability to stay awake improved when he heard his therapist read him. After stimulating the vagus nerve, the researchers also observed a reaction to the "threat." For example, when the doctor's head suddenly approaches the patient's face, his wide eyes show a surprising reaction. After many years in the vegetative state, the patient entered a state of "minimum consciousness." The “minimum state of consciousness†is the bridge between vegetative state and recovery consciousness. The record of brain activity also shows a large change: a θ-EEG signal important for distinguishing between vegetative and minimally conscious states, a significant increase in brain regions of motion, sensation, and consciousness. Vagal nerve stimulation also increases the functional connectivity of the brain. PET scans showed increased metabolic activity in the cerebral cortex and subcortical regions. The significance of the study The results of this study suggest that even in the most serious clinical cases, correct intervention can produce a change in consciousness. Researchers believe that even if there seems to be no hope, the plasticity of the brain exists, and brain repair is still possible. The research team is now planning a large collaborative study to confirm the therapeutic potential of stimulating the vagus nerve to patients in vegetative or minimally conscious states. In addition to helping patients, the researchers say these findings will also advance understanding of how our brains produce consciousness. Source: Bio-Exploration Heatless Adsorption Air Dryer,Heatless Air Dryer,Heatless Adsorption Dryer,Heatless Desiccant Dryer Hangzhou Zhongju air separation equipment manufacturing Co., Ltd , https://www.hzzjkfzz.com This figure shows information on all electrodes before and after vagus nerve stimulation. On the right, a warm color (yellow/orange) indicates increased connectivity between the posterior parietal regions. Source Corazzol et al.
Fluoro-deoxy-glucose FDG-PET images: After obtaining baseline (left, before treatment) and vagus nerve stimulation for three months (right after treatment). After vagus nerve stimulation, the metabolism of the right occipital cortex, thalamus and striatum increased. Source Corazzol et al.