Adrian M. Owen and colleagues investigated whether patients diagnosed with the vegetative state could still be conscious. The vegetative state is a condition where patients appear awake but show no signs of awareness. Recent studies suggest that some patients may have preserved brain functions. The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to detect brain activity in a 23-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with the vegetative state after a severe brain injury. The patient showed brain activity in response to spoken sentences and during mental imagery tasks, such as imagining playing tennis or walking through her house. These responses were similar to those of healthy volunteers. The results suggest that the patient was conscious and could understand spoken commands, even though she could not speak or move. The study shows that some patients diagnosed with the vegetative state may have the ability to communicate through their brain activity. The researchers concluded that fMRI could be a useful tool for detecting consciousness in patients who are unable to communicate through speech or movement. The study highlights the importance of considering the possibility of consciousness in patients diagnosed with the vegetative state. The findings also emphasize the need for further research to develop more accurate methods for detecting consciousness in such patients. The study was supported by various funding sources and was published in the journal Science.Adrian M. Owen and colleagues investigated whether patients diagnosed with the vegetative state could still be conscious. The vegetative state is a condition where patients appear awake but show no signs of awareness. Recent studies suggest that some patients may have preserved brain functions. The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to detect brain activity in a 23-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with the vegetative state after a severe brain injury. The patient showed brain activity in response to spoken sentences and during mental imagery tasks, such as imagining playing tennis or walking through her house. These responses were similar to those of healthy volunteers. The results suggest that the patient was conscious and could understand spoken commands, even though she could not speak or move. The study shows that some patients diagnosed with the vegetative state may have the ability to communicate through their brain activity. The researchers concluded that fMRI could be a useful tool for detecting consciousness in patients who are unable to communicate through speech or movement. The study highlights the importance of considering the possibility of consciousness in patients diagnosed with the vegetative state. The findings also emphasize the need for further research to develop more accurate methods for detecting consciousness in such patients. The study was supported by various funding sources and was published in the journal Science.