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Cited by 432Traumatic Brain Injury ResearchTranscranial Magnetic Stimulation StudiesFunctional Brain Connectivity Studies

Cortical processing of noxious somatosensory stimuli in the persistent vegetative state

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Laureys, S., Faymonville, M.E., Peigneux, P., Damas, P., Lambermont, B., Del Fiore, G., Degueldre, C., Aerts, J. +5 more·2002·NeuroImage
DOI 10.1006/nimg.2002.1236
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Abstract

The persistent vegetative state (PVS) is a devastating medical condition characterized by preserved wakefulness contrasting with absent voluntary interaction with the environment. We used positron emission tomography to assess the central processing of noxious somatosensory stimuli in the PVS. Changes in regional cerebral blood flow were measured during high-intensity electrical stimulation of the median nerve compared with rest in 15 nonsedated patients and in 15 healthy controls. Evoked potentials were recorded simultaneously. The stimuli were experienced as highly unpleasant to painful in controls. Brain glucose metabolism was also studied with [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose in resting conditions. In PVS patients, overall cerebral metabolism was 40% of normal values. Nevertheless, noxious somatosensory stimulation-activated midbrain, contralateral thalamus, and primary somatosensory cortex in each and every PVS patient, even in the absence of detectable cortical evoked potentials. Secondary somatosensory, bilateral insular, posterior parietal, and anterior cingulate cortices did not show activation in any patient. Moreover, in PVS patients, the activated primary somatosensory cortex was functionally disconnected from secondary somatosensory, bilateral posterior parietal, premotor, polysensory superior temporal, and prefrontal cortices. In conclusion, somatosensory stimulation of PVS patients, at intensities that elicited pain in controls, resulted in increased neuronal activity in primary somatosensory cortex, even if resting brain metabolism was severely impaired. However, this activation of primary cortex seems to be isolated and dissociated from higher-order associative cortices.

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  • Tactile or auditory stimulations during vegetative state can still activate primary somatosensory cortex (S1) or primary auditory cortex (A1), respectively, in the absence of perception and without the involvement of higher-order associative areas.

    “For example, tactile (Laureys et al., 2002) or auditory (Boly et al., 2004; Laureys et al., 2000) stimulations during vegetative state can still activate primary somatosensory cortex (S1) or primary auditory cortex (A1), respectively, in the absence of perception and without the involvement of higher-order associative areas.”

    From Perception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation (2022) · cites this paper as Laureys et al., 2002

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Authors
Laureys, S., Faymonville, M. E., Peigneux, P., Damas, P., Lambermont, B., Del Fiore, G., Degueldre, C., Aerts, J., Luxen, A., Franck, G., Lamy, M., Moonen, G., & Maquet, P.
Affiliations
University of Liège (BE)
Corresponding author
Laureys, S.
ORCID
Venue
NeuroImage
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2002-10
Volume
17
Issue
2
Pages
732-741
ISSN
1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1006/nimg.2002.1236
OpenAlex
W2130819192
Cited by
432
References
66
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 29
FWCI
9.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Dépôt institutionnel de l'Université libre de Bruxelles (Université Libre de Bruxelles) (submittedVersion)
  • Open Repository and Bibliography (University of Liège) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Traumatic Brain Injury Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Keywords
persistent vegetative state, primary somatosensory cortex, pain perception, regional cerebral blood flow, brain glucose metabolism, median nerve stimulation, thalamus, cortical evoked potentials, cortical disconnection
MeSH terms
Adult, Algorithms, Brain Mapping, Cerebrovascular Circulation, Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory, Female, Glucose, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Median Nerve, Middle Aged, Oxygen Radioisotopes, Pain, Physical Stimulation, Prospective Studies, Somatosensory Cortex, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Persistent Vegetative State, Radiopharmaceuticals, Fluorodeoxyglucose F18

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