Comment on "Detecting awareness in the vegetative state".

Journal article

In a report of a single patient in a persistent vegetative state, Owen et al. (Brevia, 8 September 2006, p. 1402) claimed that the presence of task-specific brain activation in response to verbal command implies both covert conscious awareness and a capacity for intention. We argue that neither can be securely inferred from the evidence presented.

Authors: Nachev, P; Husain, M

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.)
• Volume: 315
• Issue: 5816
• Pages: 1221
• Publication date: 2007-03-01
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1135096
• EISSN: 1095-9203
• ISSN: 0036-8075
• Language: English
• Keywords: Awareness; Intention; Humans; Consciousness; Female; Brain; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Persistent Vegetative State