N. Engl. J. Med. 380, 2497–2505 (2019)

Some individuals with acute brain injury show signs of brain activity that are predictive of recovery.

Following acute brain injury, patients are considered clinically unresponsive if they are unable to follow commands. However, it is known that while visibly unresponsive, some patients experience cognitive–motor dissociation that makes them unable to carry out the task even if their brain responds to the commands.

A group of scientists from Columbia University/New York Presbyterian Hospital used electroencephalography to study 104 unresponsive patients who were in the intensive care unit as a result of severe brain injury. Using a machine-learning approach, they found that 16 of the patients had brain activation and that these patients were more likely to have a positive long-term outcome.

These findings could influence future decisions about the management of such patients.