Preserved habituation of the auditory startle response, performed at the bedside, indicates intact cortical structures and cortico-cortical white matter tract connections. Preservation of this reaction in patients with unresponsive wakefulness can help distinguish the vegetative state from minimally conscious state and may even predict eventual awakening.
ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY
Auditory Startle Response as a Predictor of Recovery from Coma
October 1, 2020