posted April 21, 2014 #
This article on Scoutt Routley is a bit unsettling but it's a bit of science that everyone should be aware of. The basic gist? Routley has been in a vegetative state for 12 years, unresponsive in every way - he's able to breath on his own but has no basic reflexes, makes no noise and doesn't respond with his eyes. Nueroscientist Adrian Owen worked up a system where, if possible, Routley could answer yes or no to certain questions by thinking of different scenarios that would highlight different portions of his brain. Routley was able to respond and able to let the team know he is aware of his surroundings, just not able to respond. Fortunately, Routley was able to tell doctors that he is not in any pain - a small condolence for being trapped inside yourself for over a decade.
It's hard to know where to go from here with this new information. It's both unsettling and hopeful to know that someone in a vegetative state is actually somewhat aware. It's obvious a terrible fate but maybe this is the first step towards improving the situation for everyone in such a situation.
