Coma researcher Steven Laureys and his colleagues used fMRI to reexamine 54 patients previously diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state,or brain-dead.Patients were repeatedly asked to imagine swinging a tennis racquet or walking down a familiar street.Five of the patients showed clearly different brain activity to the two tasks despite being unable to communicate with doctors in any other way.These results suggest that not all patients who are non-responsive are brain-dead,but instead some may have
A)Broca's aphasia.
B)spatial neglect.
C)locked-in syndrome.
D)neurogenic agnosia.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The described patients who showed different brain activity while imagining different tasks despite being unable to communicate in any other way may indicate that they have locked-in syndrome, which is a condition where a person is conscious and aware but unable to move or communicate due to complete paralysis of all voluntary muscles except for the eyes. The other options, such as Broca's aphasia, spatial neglect, or neurogenic agnosia, do not fit the description of the patients' condition as provided in the text.

Coma Researcher Steven Laureys and His Colleagues Used FMRI to Reexamine