Circadian rhythms in the vegetative state.
| Autores | Bekinschtein T, Diego Golombek, Simonetta S, Coleman MR, Manes F. |
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| Año | 2009 |
| Journal | Bekinschtein T, Diego Golombek, Simonetta S, Coleman MR, Manes F. |
| Volumen | 23(11): 915-919 |
| Abstract | OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether vegetative state patients maintain circadian rhythms. RESEARCH DESIGN: An observational study of five single cases. METHODS AND PROCEDURES:Five chronic vegetative state patients underwent clinical and neurological evaluations and 2-week continuous temperature measurements. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The two patients with traumatic brain injury showed well-formed circadian temperature rhythms and had more reflexive behaviours and relatively low cortical and sub-cortical atrophy, whereas the three patients from anoxic-hypoxic origin demonstrated no cycles or rhythmic behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of periods of wakefulness does not imply preserved sleep-wake cycling capacity, nor preserved circadian rhythms and it should not be taken as a distinguishing feature for the definition of the vegetative state. |
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