Brain activation by music in patients in a vegetative or minimally conscious state following diffuse brain injury. (June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Okumura, Yuka; Asano, Yoshitaka; Takenaka, Shunsuke; Fukuyama, Seisuke; Yonezawa, Shingo; Kasuya, Yukinori; Shinoda, Jun
• Is Part Of: Brain injury. Volume 28:Number 7(2014)
• Page Start: 944
• Page End: 950
• Publication Date: 2014-06
• Subjects: Brain damage -- Periodicals; Brain -- Wounds and injuries -- Periodicals; Brain Injuries -- Periodicals; 617.481
• DOI: 10.3109/02699052.2014.888477
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-9052

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: The aim of this study was to objectively evaluate the brain activity potential of patients with impaired consciousness in a chronic stage of diffuse brain injury (DBI) using functional MRI (fMRI) following music stimulation (MS).</p> <p> <italic>Methods</italic>: Two patients in a minimally conscious state (MCS) and five patients in a vegetative state (VS) due to severe DBI were enrolled along with 21 healthy adults. This study examined the brain regions activated by music and assessed topographical differences of the MS-activated brain among healthy adults and these patients.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: MS was shown to activate the bilateral superior temporal gyri (STG) of both healthy adults and patients in an MCS. In four of five patients in a VS, however, no significant activation in STG could be induced by the same MS. The remaining patient in a VS displayed the same MS-induced brain activation in STG as healthy adults and patients in an MCS and this patient's status also improved to an MCS 4 months after the study.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusions</italic>: The presence of STG activation by MS may predict a possible improvement of patients in a VS to MCS and fMRI employing MS may be a useful modality to objectively evaluate consciousness in these patients.</p> </abstract>