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minimally conscious state
Also known as: MCS, minimally conscious state, minimally conscious states, Minimally conscious patients, Minimally Conscious State
Facts (10)
Sources
Theories and Methods of Consciousness biomedres.us Jan 29, 2024 3 facts
claimAblation studies examine how damaged areas of the brain in diseased, comatose, or accident patients in vegetative or minimally conscious states impact and affect brain activities.
referenceChen S, Xinhuai Wu, Lubin Wang, Yituo Wang, Bing Wu, et al. published 'Disrupted Interactions Between Arousal and Cortical Awareness Networks in MCS and VS/UWS Patients: Evidence from Resting-state Functional Imaging Connectivity' in Neuroscience in 2018, volume 382, pages 115-124.
claimFunctional connectivity from brainstem areas regulating arousal to cortical networks supporting internal and external awareness is viable in conscious subjects but disrupted in patients in minimally conscious states (MCS) and vegetative states (VS/UWS).
A Synergistic Workspace for Human Consciousness Revealed by ... elifesciences.org 3 facts
referenceThe paper 'Intrinsic functional connectivity differentiates minimally conscious from unresponsive patients' by Crone et al. (2015) demonstrates that intrinsic functional connectivity patterns can distinguish between patients in a minimally conscious state and those who are unresponsive.
measurementThe study on chronic disorders of consciousness included 22 adults (14 males, aged 17–70 years, with a mean time post-injury of 13 months) who met diagnostic criteria for Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome or Minimally Conscious State.
claimIn the study on chronic disorders of consciousness, patients were classified as Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome (UWS) if their behavioural responses were not indicative of awareness, and as Minimally Conscious State (MCS) if they showed behavioural evidence of simple automatic motor reactions, visual fixation and pursuit, or localisation to noxious stimulation.
A virtual clinical trial of psychedelics to treat patients with disorders ... eurekalert.org Nov 24, 2025 2 facts
claimIn the study 'A Virtual Clinical Trial of Psychedelics to Treat Patients With Disorders of Consciousness', the simulated treatment effect correlated with brain structural connectivity strength in unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) patients and with brain functional connectivity strength in minimally conscious state (MCS) patients.
claimThe simulated treatment effect of psychedelics was greater in patients with minimally conscious state (MCS) compared to patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) in the study 'A Virtual Clinical Trial of Psychedelics to Treat Patients With Disorders of Consciousness'.
Psychedelics Assessed In New Virtual Clinical Trial - EMJ emjreviews.com Nov 27, 2025 2 facts
claimIn patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, the response to simulated psychedelic use correlated with structural connectivity, whereas in minimally conscious state patients, the response was linked to the efficiency of functional connectivity.
claimMinimally conscious patients with strong functional connectivity may benefit most from psychedelic interventions, according to the findings of the virtual clinical trial.