Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »
Thu 02 Feb 2010Breakthrough for vegetative patients
A man in a deeply unconscious state for five years has been able to communicate with doctors using just his thoughts in a study scientists say is a "game changer" for care of vegetative state patients.
British and Belgian researchers used a brain scanner called functional magnetic resonance imaging to show the man, who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a road accident in 2003, was able to think "yes" or "no" answers to questions by wilfully changing his brain activity.
Choose a Subscription type - required
