Brain Activity in Coma Patients Shows Complex Information Processing, Swiss Study Reveals

A new study from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Lausanne, Switzerland, reveals surprising brain activity in coma patients. Researchers discovered that even in a coma, the brain can process multiple stimuli simultaneously. The study, published in PNAS on May 12th, was led by neuroscientist Andria Pelentritou. The research team, including collaborators from Zurich, Berne, and Geneva, found that the cortex responds to external sounds and heartbeats. Furthermore, the brain can establish connections between these different stimuli. This ability to process complex information could potentially help predict recovery in coma patients.