Not to be confused with the recent breakthroughs in brainwave communication with supposed vegetative patients recently reported on this blog, multiple news releases have said that a Belgian coma patient who was supposedly communicating with a speech therapist by way of arm movements was never communicating after all.
Rom Houben, a car accident victim who was diagnosed as vegetative 23 years ago, was reported last November to have communicated with his doctors and family. Now, doctors have reported that the claims were false.
The case arose after brain scans revealed Houben’s brain as almost fully conscious, although his body remains immobilized. The news gave great relief and hope to friends and family members of patients diagnosed as vegetative. The hopes may still be unfounded, although research into other methods of communication – including the use of fMRI scans to monitor changes in brainwave activity – continues.
The initial stories of Houben’s alleged communication were based on a technique called facilitated communication in which a speech therapist’s hand is guided above a keyboard by a patient’s hand. When the therapist feels gentle pressure when his or her hand is above a particular letter, the letter is typed. Skeptics claimed early on that the technique was faulty, but it took further testing to prove the technique false. Houben’s neurologist, Steven Laureys, conducted an extensive 15-stage test that Houben failed every step of the way.
Although Houben was proven unable to communicate, Laureys acknowledge that his brain scans prove that the man is conscious and not completely vegetative. It is unclear whether or not he is a candidate for brain-scan communication attempts; however, results of early studies on other vegetative patients have proven successful.
A Canadian Press article reported that, ‘Experts say the larger question of whether people like Houben who have a traumatic brain injury are conscious and alert remains unanswered.’ While facilitated communication has proven faulty in this case, doctors continue to explore myriad variations in diagnoses of patients in vegetative states to determine whether or not the diagnosis still retains validity.
References:
Cheng, Maria. (February 19, 2010) ‘Belgian coma patient can’t communicate after all, doctor acknowledges after testing.’ Retrieved on February 21, 2010 from the Google Web site:http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gEBQiSW8WJ2…
Connolly, Kate. (November 23, 2009) ‘Trapped in his own body for 23 years ‘“ the coma victim who screamed unheard.’ Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from the Guardian Web site:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/23/man-trapped-coma-23-years
Hall, Allan. (November 23, 2009) ‘ ‘˜I screamed, but there was nothing to hear’: Man trapped in 23-year ‘˜coma’ reveals horror of being unable to tell doctors he was conscious.’ Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from the Mail Online Web site:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1230092/Rom-Houben-Pat…
Med India Staff. (February 21, 2010) ‘Belgian Coma Patient Unable to Communicate by Computer: Doctor.’ Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from the Med India Web site:http://www.medindia.net/news/Belgian-Coma-Patient-Unable-to-Communicate-…
Metro Reporter. (February 21, 2010) ’23-year coma man Rom Houben’s ‘˜communication’ proved to be fake.’ Retrieved on February 21, 2010 from the Metro Web site:http://www.metro.co.uk/news/814078-23-year-coma-man-rom-houbens-communic…