fMRI reveals cognitive and emotional processing in a long-term comatose patient

History: At the age of 38, an otherwise healthy mother of two children was admitted to hospital with a Glasgow coma scale (GCS) of 4 following closed head injury. Diagnostics revealed traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage and right sided space-occupying parenchymal haematoma; treated by craniotomy and haematoma resection. Without ever regaining consciousness, opening her eyes or showing other than stereotypic left arm movements, she was transferred to a nursing home. 35 months later the patient was presented for further evaluation using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Clinical status: Examination reve…