Recovery of consciousness after acute brain injury: a narrative review

Abstract

Background Disorders of consciousness (DoC) are frequently encountered in both, acute and chronic brain injuries. In many countries, early withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments is common practice for these patients even though the accuracy of predicting recovery is debated and delayed recovery can be seen. In this review, we will discuss theoretical concepts of consciousness and pathophysiology, explore effective strategies for management, and discuss the accurate prediction of long-term clinical outcomes. We will also address research challenges. Main text DoC are characterized by alterations in arousal and/or content, being classified as coma, unresponsive wakefulness syndrome/vegetative state, minimally conscious state, and confusional state. Patients with willful modulation of brain activity detectable by functional MRI or EEG but not by behavioral examination is a state also known as covert consciousness or cognitive motor dissociation. This state may be as common as every 4th or 5th patient without behavioral evidence of verbal command following and has been identified as an independent predictor of long-term functional recovery. Underlying mechanisms are uncertain but intact arousal and thalamocortical projections maybe be essential. Insights into the mechanisms underlying DoC will be of major importance as these will provide a framework to conceptualize treatment approaches, including medical, mechanical, or electoral brain stimulation. Conclusions We are beginning to gain insights into the underlying mechanisms of DoC, identifying novel advanced prognostication tools to improve the accuracy of recovery predictions, and are starting to conceptualize targeted treatments to support the recovery of DoC patients. It is essential to determine how these advancements can be implemented and benefit DoC patients across a range of clinical settings and global societal systems. The Curing Coma Campaign has highlighted major gaps knowledge and provides a roadmap to advance the field of coma science with the goal to support the recovery of patients with DoC.