Significance of circadian rhythms in severely brain-injured patients: A clue to consciousness?

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate the relationship between the presence of a circadian body temperature rhythm and behaviorally assessed consciousness levels in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC; i.e., vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome or minimally conscious state).

Methods

In a cross-sectional study, we investigated the presence of circadian temperature rhythms across 6 to 7 days using external skin temperature sensors in 18 patients with DOC. Beyond this, we examined the relationship between behaviorally assessed consciousness levels and circadian rhythmicity.

Results

Analyses with Lomb-Scargle periodograms revealed significant circadian rhythmicity in all patients (range 23.5-26.3 hours). We found that especially scores on the arousal subscale o

SUBMITTER: Blume C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5444311 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature