France: 35-Year-Old Man, In Vegetative State Since 15 Years, Regains Consciousness

In France, a 35-year-old man who had been in a vegetative state for 15 years has started to gain consciousness after receiving a treatment based on nerve stimulation.

The man had been injured in a car accident more than 15 years ago.

Quite miraculously, the man started to show signs of recovery after a vagus nerve stimulator was inserted into his chest.

The findings were published in Current Biology.

Angela Sirigu of Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeanerod in Lyon, Frace, commented on the ability of nerve stimulator to help regain consciousness in a patient, "It is possible to improve a patient's presence in the world."

The findings are being seen as a potential challenge to the notion that if a vegetation state lasts for more than 12 months, it becomes permanent.

Many a doctors are seeing this as "a potentially very exciting finding."

Post treatment, it was seen that the patient was able to follow objects with his eyes and turn his head if asked to. An improvement in the ability to stay awake was also witnessed.

The vagus nerve connects the brain to many other parts of the body, including the gut, therefore it supports alertness and aids in activities like walking. Plus, it helps improve many other essential functions of the brain.

The particular man was chosen for the study as he had been lying in a vegetative state for a very long period and had shown almost zero recovery in his treatment.

Changes in his brain function showed that he had shifted from a vegetative state to a condition of minimal consciousness.

Improvements were seen in the areas of the brain involved in movement, sensation, and awareness. Also, there was a boost in the brain's functional connectivity and its metabolic activity.

The researchers are now planning to carry out a larger, more comprehensive study in the matter.