Effect of right median nerve stimulation on level of consciousness in traumatic brain injury subjects

Abstract

Background: The median nerve serves a peripheral gateway to the central nervous system. Median nerve stimulation is positively associated with regaining the level of consciousness in patients with traumatic brain injury, but the level of evidence is still a research question. So the purpose of the study is to find out the effectiveness of right median nerve stimulation on the level of consciousness and the relation between them in subjects with traumatic brain injury. Methodology: Twenty subjects with traumatic brain injury of axonal type were selected for study and randomized into two groups. Experimental group received right median nerve stimulation along with medications where as control group received medications only one month, 30minutes a day. Glasgow coma scale is used to assess the changes in conscious levels. Result: The results have revealed that there is a significant improvement noted in experimental group when compared to control group. Comparison of Glasgow coma scale scores between experimental and control groups after one month showed significant difference with a P value of 0.0261. Conclusion: Right median nerve stimulation is strongly associated with improvement of consciousness in patients with traumatic brain injury.