Brain responsiveness after severe brain injury: Revolutions and controversies

Abstract

In the past 18 years, neuroimaging techniques have become central to studying the healthy and pathological brain. In the context of disorders of consciousness, neuroimaging approaches have radically changed our understanding of how much cortical and cognitive function can be retained after severe brain injury. In this chapter we review some of the main contributions these approaches have given to the fi eld of disorders of consciousness, and we discuss both the power of these techniques and the main complexities tied to employing them to assess residual brain function in otherwise nonresponsive individuals.