Death, Brain Death, and Persistent Vegetative State

Death, Brain Death, and Persistent Vegetative State The Concept of Brain Death and its Appeal

Brain death and the persistent vegetative state: similarities and contrasts.

Brain death and the persistent vegetative state (PVS) share the following features: 1.) There is death of neurons in the brain; 2.) Both require an etiology which is capable of causing neuronal death. 3.) The potential for cognition is totally and permanently lost; 4.) Intensive medical support is usually withdrawn. In contrast, the diagnosis of brain death depends on death of the brainstem, wh...

Minimally Conscious State: Evolution of Concept, Diagnosis and Treatment.

The study of consciousness disorders is a scientific challenge, and clinical differentiation among the various sorts of alterations in consciousness is difficult. Persistent vegetative state was defined in 1972, but years later cases appeared in which diagnosed patients showed signs of cognitive activity, and therefore could not be considered vegetative. Minimally conscious state was defined in...

WHAT IS NOT BRAIN DEATH: THE VEGETATIVE STATE and MOVEMENTS IN BRAIN DEATH*

The main objective of this meeting convened at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences is to discuss the topic of Brain Death. Although in general there is no debate within the scientific community, the concept of Brain Death has been questioned by lay people and in some cases by physicians. For this reason it seemed appropriate to begin this two-day conference discussing ‘What is not Brain Death’, ...

Impact of Duration and Severity of Persistent Pain on Programmed Cell Death

Programmed cell death is a highly regulated form of cell death, mostly distinguished by the activation of a family of cystein-aspartate proteases (caspases) that cleave various proteins resulting in morphological and biochemical changes characteristic of this form of cell death. Several recent studies have addressed the role of programmed cell death in inflammatory and chronic pain states. Casp...