After a car accident had left a 35-year-old man in a vegetative state for 15 years, nerve stimulation literally helped bring him back to life. According to a case study, a nerve stimulator was implanted into the man's chest, after which he began to show signs of consciousness. The case, published in the journal Current Biology , shows that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) – a treatment already used for patients suffering from epilepsy and depression – can help restore consciousness even after many years in a vegetative state.
The outcome challenges the general belief that disorders of consciousness that persist for longer than 12 months are irreversible, the researchers said. "By stimulating the vagus nerve, we show that it is possible to improve a patient's presence in the world," said researcher from the Institutes Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod in France. The vagus nerve connects…
