MGH Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging 2017 | Page 40

What Is
‘Covert
Conscious-
ness’? And
Why Is It So
Important?
In a study reported in the journal Brain, the
Center’s Brian Edlow, Ona Wu and colleagues
found evidence of consciousness in patients who
cannot otherwise respond to commands. We
checked in with Edlow, associate director of the
Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery
at MGH and an affiliated faculty member in the
Martinos Center, to learn more about the study
and its implications for clinical care.
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What is covert conscious-
ness?
‘Covert consciousness’ is conscious-
ness that cannot be detected by
bedside examination. Studies in
patients in the chronic stages of
recovery from a severe traumatic
brain injury (TBI) suggest that
approximately 10 percent of those
believed to be in a vegetative state
or a low-level minimally conscious
state based on the bedside exam can
actually follow commands during
functional MRI or EEG tests.