Single unit activities recorded in the thalamus and the overlying parietal cortex of subjects affected by disorders of consciousness.

ABSTRACT: The lack of direct neurophysiological recordings from the thalamus and the cortex hampers our understanding of vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome and minimally conscious state in humans. We obtained microelectrode recordings from the thalami and the homolateral parietal cortex of two vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome and one minimally conscious state patients during surgery for implantation of electrodes in both thalami for chronic deep brain stimulation. We found that activity of the thalamo-cortical networks differed among the two conditions. There were half the number of active neurons in the thalami of patients in vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome than in minimally conscious state. Coupling of thalamic neuron discharge with EEG phases a

SUBMITTER: Magrassi L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6221278 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature