SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS

The patient was one of 54 patients with consciousness disorders studied by researchers in Cambridge, England, and Liege, Belgium.

The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess each patient's ability to generate willful, neuroanatomically specific, blood-oxygen level-dependent responses during two established mental-imagery tasks.

A technique was then developed to determine whether such tasks could be used to communicate yes-or-no answers to simple questions.

Of the 54 patients studied, five willfully modulated their brain activity. In three of these patients, additional bedside testing revealed some sign of awareness, but in the other two patients, no voluntary behavior could be detected by means of clinical assessment.

One patient used the technique to answer yes or no to questions during functional MRI; however, were unable to establish any form of bedside communication.

The BBC described that one patient as a Belgian man injured in a traffic accident seven years ago.

"We were astonished when we saw the results of the patient's scan and that he was able to correctly answer the questions that were asked by simply changing his thoughts", said Dr. Adrian Owen of the Medical Research Council, who co-authored the report.

In the future, patients in a vegetative state may be able to participate in their care.

"You could ask if patients were in pain and if so prescribe painkillers and you could go on to ask them about their emotional state", Owen said.

The researchers' findings are published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

 BREAKING STORIES

Nutritional training for doctors overdue

Older non-smokers gain most by smoking ban

Disease rates for Asian-Americans differ

Most older Canadians use 5 medications/day

Omega 3 may curb colon polyps

Asian carp prove elusive in Chicago canals

Obesity, passive smoke: Babies at risk

Chemical may protect MD patients' hearts

Songbirds may help solve speech disorders

U.N. group votes down tuna export ban

Raw sewage spills at Denver airport

Protected forests may slow climate change

NASA prepares to study arctic glaciers

New variety of lentil is developed

Wild turkey crashes through window

4-million-year-old killing is studied

Poisoned eggs may protect Cape Cod plovers

How healthcare reform affects consumers

Fossil of rare armor-plated worm found

Leeches studied for reproductive behaviors