brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Minimally Conscious State
Introduction
A minimally conscious state is severe but not complete impairment of awareness. It results from widespread damage to the cerebrum (the part of the brain that controls thought and behavior). A minimally conscious state may result from brain damage, or it may follow a vegetative state as people recover some function. People in a minimally conscious state do some things that indicate some awareness of self and of their environment, such as making eye contact. Doctors diagnose a minimally conscious state only after they observe people for a period of time and on more than one occasion and find some evidence of awareness in people whose consciousness is severely impaired. People in a minimally conscious state require comprehensive care, including good nutrition and measures to prevent problems due to not being able to move (such as pressure sores). A minimally conscious state may result directly from brain damage, or it may follow a Vegetative State as people recover some function. People can go back and forth between the vegetative state and minimally conscious state, sometimes for years after the original brain damage. 