Contents
- 1 Four people with locked-in syndrome told researchers they’re happy despite being unable to move, speak or open their eyes.
- 2 Researchers used brain scans to verify the patients’ answers.
- 3 “They are much happier with their lives than most people would imagine,” one researcher said.
- 4 The research was published today in the journal PLOS Biology.
- 5 Four patients, who were severely disabled after stroke or brain disorders, communicated with scientists by focusing on a specific word on a screen.
- 6 This study opens up the possibility of communicating with patients who have severe disabilities.
- 7 Bottom Line
Four people with locked-in syndrome told researchers they’re happy despite being unable to move, speak or open their eyes.
Four people with locked-in syndrome told researchers they’re happy despite being unable to move, speak or open their eyes.
Locked-in syndrome is a rare neurological disorder in which a person can’t control certain functions of the body, such as speaking and moving arms and legs. But some people who have the disorder are conscious and alert, able to understand what’s happening around them. The patients communicate by blinking or moving their eyes. In this study, researchers used an fMRI scanner to examine the brains of five people with locked-in syndrome. Four of those patients were told to answer yes or no questions by thinking about specific words—either “yes” for each question or “no” for each question. For example, if a patient was asked if he or she was happy or not, the patient would think about either “yes” or “no” each time until answering all 20 questions. Researchers were also able to use brain scans to help patients spell out words by focusing on specific letters. The fifth patient was unable to use her brain activity in that way because of her condition and was not tested further after she answered the six yes/no questions in her own way: up for yes, down for no and neutral movements when she didn’t know an answer
Researchers used brain scans to verify the patients’ answers.
You might think that this would be impossible, but it’s not. The researchers used brain scans to verify the patients’ answers. That’s how they were able to verify that the patients’ answers closely mirrored those of a control group of healthy participants.
The results showed that all four “locked-in” participants reported being happy, regardless of their age or time since diagnosis. This is despite noting some negative aspects of living with their condition and being unable to control it.
“They are much happier with their lives than most people would imagine,” one researcher said.
The fact that the patients were found to be happy could teach us a lot about what it means to measure happiness. Researchers told NBC News that their findings are proof of how important it is to take into account people’s feelings when trying to determine whether or not they’re content.
“They are much happier with their lives than most people would imagine,” Niels Birbaumer, a researcher at the Wyss Center and lead author of the new study, said in a statement. “We have seen patients who have been locked-in for more than 10 years answer yes when asked whether they are happy with their lives.”
In addition to teaching us about measuring happiness, the research also tells us something about the importance of respecting these individuals and making sure they receive great care. The researchers noted that effectively communicating was especially difficult for this group of patients because many had suffered from depression prior to becoming “locked-in,” and one patient even said in response to one question: “I don’t know why I am still alive.”
The research was published today in the journal PLOS Biology.
The research was published today in the journal PLOS Biology.
A team from University College London says its findings suggest that being “locked-in” is not necessarily tantamount to feeling trapped, but instead may be on a spectrum with normal consciousness.
The study offers hope for those who are paralyzed but cognitively aware—they could one day communicate more clearly about their feelings and needs. The results were achieved by harnessing the latest developments in machine learning and brain-computer interfaces, which allow people to control devices using only their thoughts.
Four patients, who were severely disabled after stroke or brain disorders, communicated with scientists by focusing on a specific word on a screen.
Four patients who were severely disabled after having a stroke or brain disorder were asked questions about their health and lives, and they answered by focusing on a specific word on a screen, Belgian researchers reported.
The scientists then verified the patients’ answers by reading their brain scans. The machine learned to tell when the patients focused on one word or another as they responded to yes/no questions, such as “Do you have any pain?” or “Is your mood good right now?”
All four of the patients said they felt happy, despite being partially paralyzed and unable to speak.
This study opens up the possibility of communicating with patients who have severe disabilities.
This is an important breakthrough. Locked-in syndrome is a rare condition, but it severely affects the lives of thousands of people and their families throughout the world. Until now it has not been possible to establish meaningful communication with these patients.
This study opens up the possibility of communicating with patients who have severe disabilities, helping them to communicate with their friends, family and doctors. It is a huge step forward for patients who have lost the ability to speak or move.”
Bottom Line
It’s hard enough to make sense of how a neurologist can verify a “locked-in” patient’s inclination to happiness. And what makes it more mind-boggling is that scientists have used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to confirm this fact. What this study ultimately proved was that the emotional lives of dementia sufferers are just as rich and diverse as those of everyone else.
