Experimental Tool Measures Brain Consciousness

There is an experimental tool that doctorscould eventually use to more accurately determine the chances of recoveringfrom a serious brain injury. The tool is designed to look at a patient’s brainand identify signs of consciousness. This tool could potentially help familiesmake the end- of- life decisions.

Researchers from Italy’s University ofMilan developed the tool. The tool uses a combination of magnetic pulses, brainwave activity, and a formula to gauge consciousness. The tool is still beingdeveloped and is a long way from being used in hospitals, but the research hasopened the door to helping document consciousness and its relationship torecovery. 

Currently, doctors just look for signsexternally or use an MRI machine to scan the brain and think of something. Ifit seems as though there is brain activity but that the person cannot verbalizeany responses the person has what doctors call “Locked in Syndrome.”The problem with this method is that people in vegetative states may still havesignificant amounts of brain activity. 

See David DiSalvo, Tool That Looks For Consciousness In The Brian Could Change End-Of-Life Decisions, Forbes, Aug. 17, 2013.