Sleep-like cortical OFF-periods disrupt causality and complexity in the brain of unresponsive wakefulness syndrome patients

M. Rosanova; M. Fecchio; S. Casarotto; S. Sarasso; A. G. Casali; A. Pigorini; A. Comanducci; F. Seregni; G. Devalle; G. Citerio; O. Bodart; M. Boly; O. Gosseries; S. Laureys; M. Massimini

doi:10.1038/s41467-018-06871-1

Nature Communications (Oct 2018)

Sleep-like cortical OFF-periods disrupt causality and complexity in the brain of unresponsive wakefulness syndrome patients

M. Rosanova,
M. Fecchio,
S. Casarotto,
S. Sarasso,
A. G. Casali,
A. Pigorini,
A. Comanducci,
F. Seregni,
G. Devalle,
G. Citerio,
O. Bodart,
M. Boly,
O. Gosseries,
S. Laureys,
M. Massimini

Affiliations

M. Rosanova: Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan
M. Fecchio: Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan
S. Casarotto: Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan
S. Sarasso: Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan
A. G. Casali: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo
A. Pigorini: Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan
A. Comanducci: Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan
F. Seregni: Department of Paediatrics, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
G. Devalle: IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi
G. Citerio: Scuola di Medicina e Chirurgia, University of Milan Bicocca
O. Bodart: GIGA-consciousness, Coma Science Group, University and University Hospital of Liège
M. Boly: Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin
O. Gosseries: GIGA-consciousness, Coma Science Group, University and University Hospital of Liège
S. Laureys: GIGA-consciousness, Coma Science Group, University and University Hospital of Liège
M. Massimini: Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06871-1
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Many brain-injured patients retain large cortical islands that are intact, active and reactive but blocked in a state of low complexity, leading to unconsciousness. Here, the authors show that this loss of complexity is due to the pathological engagement of sleep-like neuronal mechanisms.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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