Cerebral processing in the minimally conscious state

We studied a patient in a minimally conscious state using PET and cognitive evoked potentials. Cerebral metabolism was below half of normal values. Auditory stimuli with emotional valence ( infant cries and the patient's own name) induced a much more widespread activation than did meaningless noise; the activation pattern was comparable with that previously obtained in controls. Cognitive potentials showed preserved P300 responses to the patient's own name.