Paving the way for disorders of consciousness diagnosis and prognosis: the role of cardiac autonomic response and beyond

Following coma due to severe brain injury, a patient can wake up or progress into an Unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) or Minimally Conscious State (MCS). These entities are characterized by preserved wakefulness and completely (UWS) or partially (MCS) impaired awareness. The functional and behavioral outcome of these patients is rather difficult to predict, as many factors come into play, including the type and severity of brain injury and, in particular, the level of awareness, which is assessed by using specific clinical scales that quantify the behavioral responsiveness (e.g., the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised).

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