Abstract :
[en] Our understanding of the mechanisms of loss and recovery of consciousness, following severe brain injury or
during anesthesia, is changing rapidly. Recent neuroimaging studies have shown that patients with chronic
disorders of consciousness and subjects undergoing general anesthesia present a complex dysfunctionality in
the architecture of brain connectivity. At present, the global hallmark of impaired consciousness appears to be
amultifaceted dysfunctional connectivity pattern with both within-network loss of connectivity in awidespread
frontoparietal network and between-network hyperconnectivity involving other regions such as the insula and
ventral tegmental area. Despite ongoing efforts, the mechanisms underlying the emergence of consciousness
after severe brain injury are not thoroughly understood. Important questions remain unanswered:What triggers
the connectivity impairment leading to disorders of consciousness? Why do some patients recover from coma,
while others with apparently similar brain injuries do not? Understanding these mechanisms could lead to a
better comprehension of brain function and, hopefully, lead to new therapeutic strategies in this challenging
patient population.
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