Elucidation of critical brain areas or structures that are responsible for recovery of impaired consciousness in patients with disorders of consciousness is important because it can provide information that is useful when developing therapeutic strategies for neurorehabilitation or neurointervention in patients with disorders of consciousness. In this review, studies that have demonstrated brain changes during recovery of impaired consciousness were reviewed. These studies used positron emission tomography, electroencephalography/transcranial magnetic stimulation, diffusion tensor tractography, and diffusion tensor tractography/electroencephalography. The majority of these studies reported on the importance of supratentorial areas or structures in the recovery of impaired consciousness. The important brain areas or structures that were identified were the prefrontal cortex, basal forebrain, anterior cingulate cortex, and parietal cortex. These results have a clinically important implication that these brain areas or structures can be target areas for neurorehabilitation or neurointervention in patients with disorders of consciousness. However, most of studies were case reports; therefore, further original studies involving larger numbers of patients with disorders of consciousness are warranted. In addition, more detailed information on the brain areas or structures that are relevant to the recovery of impaired consciousness is needed.
Keywords: ascending reticular activating system; consciousness; diffusion tensor imaging; minimally conscious state; neural regeneration; neuroimaging; review; vegetative state.