Measures of metabolism and complexity in the brain of patients with disorders of consciousness

作者：Bodart Olivier^*; Gosseries Olivia; Wannez Sarah; Thibaut Aurore; Annen Jitka; Boly Melanie; Rosanova Mario; Casali Adenauer G; Casarotto Silvia; Tononi Giulio; Massimini Marcello; Laureys Steven

来源：NeuroImage-Clinical, 2017, 14: 354-362.

DOI：10.1016/j.nicl.2017.02.002

• Transcranial magnetic stimulation
• Electroencephalography
• Positron emission tomography
• Disorders of consciousness
• Unresponsive wakefulness syndrome minimally conscious state
• Brain injury

Background: Making an accurate diagnosis in patients with disorders of consciousness remains challenging. F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET has been validated as a diagnostic tool in this population, and allows identifying unresponsive patients with a capacity for consciousness. In parallel, the perturbational complexity index (PCI), a new measure based on the analysis of the electroencephalographic response to transcranial magnetic stimulation, has also been suggested as a tool to distinguish between unconscious and conscious states. The aim of the study was to cross-validate FDG-PET and PCI, and to identify signs of consciousness in otherwise unresponsive patients.
Methods: We jointly applied the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised, FDG-PET and PCI to assess 24 patients with non-acute disorders of consciousness or locked-in syndrome(13 male; 19-54 years old; 12 traumatic; 9 unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, 11 minimally conscious state; 2 emergence from the minimally conscious state, and 2 locked-in syndrome).
Results: FDG-PET and PCI provided congruent results in 22 patients, regardless of their behavioural diagnosis. Notably, FDG-PET and PCI revealed preserved metabolic rates and high complexity levels in four patients who were behaviourally unresponsive.
Conclusion: We propose that jointly measuring the metabolic activity and the electrophysiological complexity of cortical circuits is a useful complement to the diagnosis and stratification of patients with disorders of consciousness.

• 出版日期2017