Computer vision detects covert voluntary facial movements in unresponsive brain injury patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many brain injury patients who appear unresponsive retain subtle, purposeful motor behaviors, signaling capacity for recovery. We hypothesized that low-amplitude movements precede larger-amplitude voluntary movements detectable by clinicians after acute brain injury. To test this hypothesis, we developed a novel, as far as we are aware, computer vision-based tool (SeeMe) that detects and quantifies low-amplitude facial movements in response to auditory commands.

Methods

We enrolled 16 healthy volunteers and 37 comatose acute brain injury patients (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤8) aged 18-85 with no prior neurological diagnoses. We measured facial movements to command assessed using SeeMe and compared them to clinicians' exams. The primary outcome was the detection of facial

SUBMITTER: Cheng X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12368019 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature