Vegetative state patients can respond to questions

Scientists have been able to reach into the mind of a brain-damaged man and communicate with his thoughts.The research, carried out at in the UK and in Belgium, involved a new brain scanning method. Awareness was detected in three other patients previously diagnosed as being in a vegetative state. The study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that scans can detect signs of awareness in patients thought to be closed off from the world.Patients in a vegetative state are awake, not in a coma, but have no awareness because of severe brain damage.

Further details are available on the bbc website see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8497148.stm. You can also see the full article on the New England Journal of Medicine website http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0905370.

Brain Injury News

1st Jan 70

Armed Services Compensation Scheme

The results of a comprehensive review of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, have been published by the Ministry of Defence. Troops injured in Afghanistan and Iraq will receive increased compensation of up to £1.5m. However, the maximum tax-free lump sum of £570,000 will remain the same, and backdating of payments will only go to personnel who have been compensated under the scheme since it started in 2005, replacing the old war pensions. UKABIF raised the issue of the low levels of compensation allowed for troops who have sustained acquired brain injuries in the course of duty as compared to compensation packages through other personal injury claims.

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4th Feb 10