A UK patient believed to have been in a vegetative state for
more than a decade has been able to communicate using the power
of thought. Scott Routley, who was left severely brain damaged
after a car crash, has managed to tell his doctors he is not in
any pain. He is one of several such patients being treated using
a pioneering technique developed by researchers at Britain's
Cambridge University. Scott's case marks the first time a
patient said to be in a permanent vegetative state has been able
to answer questions relating to his care - suggesting he is
aware of his condition. It also means he can communicate in a
way that could help doctors improve his quality of life.
Professor Adrian Owen uses functional magnetic resonance imaging
(fMRI) scans to detect changes in the flow of the blood around
the brain. Scott, from Ontario, Canada, and British patient Alex
Seaman both feature in a BBC1 Panorama programme on the
groundbreaking approach to brain-injured patients tonight.
First, patients are asked to imagine