{"id":"5d3c2663-2a28-4dcb-9209-7643ae400f38","slug":"cogito-ergo-sum-a-commentary","title":"Cogito ergo sum: A commentary","authors":["Clark Watts","Gerald Livingston"],"abstract":"Background: Monti and colleagues reported the ability to communicate with a patient in a vegetative state using functional MRI to interpret responses to simple autobiographical questions. This case raises significant philosophical and ethical questions about the nature of consciousness and human identity. Methods: The investigators established control data with 16 normal volunteers and 1 patient before examining 54 patients diagnosed as being in a vegetative state or minimally conscious state. The focus was on patient no. 23, a 22-year-old male who had sustained a traumatic brain injury 60.8 months prior. Results: The study found that patient 23, despite being unable to perceive his environment, provided organized mental responses to questions. Additionally, similar reactivity was observed in four other patients, indicating that approximately 10% of those investigated may retain some level of cognitive function. Conclusion: The findings suggest that patients in a vegetative state may possess a level of consciousness that warrants a new classification, proposed as the 'Cartesian stage or state of consciousness.' This term reflects the philosophical implications of the research and emphasizes the need for ethical and legal considerations regarding these patients. Keywords: vegetative state, consciousness, functional MRI, traumatic brain injury, ethics, philosophy, Cartesian state","thumbnailUrl":null,"publishDate":"2011-01-24T00:00:00.000Z","doi":"10.4103/2152-7806.76142","categories":["Original Article"],"fullTextUrl":"https://surgicalneurologyint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/3230/SNI-2-5.pdf"}