Brain Network Studies in Chronic Disorders of Consciousness: Advances and Perspectives

Neurosci Bull. 2018 Aug;34(4):592-604. doi: 10.1007/s12264-018-0243-5. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Abstract

Neuroimaging has opened new opportunities to study the neural correlates of consciousness, and provided additional information concerning diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic interventions in patients with disorders of consciousness. Here, we aim to review neuroimaging studies in chronic disorders of consciousness from the viewpoint of the brain network, focusing on positron emission tomography, functional MRI, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, electrophysiology, and diffusion MRI. To accelerate basic research on disorders of consciousness and provide a panoramic view of unconsciousness, we propose that it is urgent to integrate different techniques at various spatiotemporal scales, and to merge fragmented findings into a uniform "Brainnetome" (Brain-net-ome) research framework.

Keywords: Brain network; Brainnetome; Disorders of consciousness; Neuroimaging.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Consciousness / physiology*
  • Consciousness Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Neuroimaging* / methods
  • Persistent Vegetative State