Akinetic mutism following cranio-cerebral trauma. Physiopathological considerations based on sleep studies

Long-Lasting Post-Traumatic Unconsciousness

“…Our patients mere examined a long time after cranio-cerebral trauma ; therefore, one may assume that the different types of the sleep organization or disorganization observed were the consequence of stabilized brain damage involving and sparing different encephalic districts. An attempt to utilize the results of thc polygraphic night recording for a n evaluation of the type of brain damage was already made by us (Bricolo et al 1968) and will not be repeated hem. We realize that the validity of such an evaluation might be proved only by relating the results of the night recording with the findings of the careful anatomical analysis of the brain of the patients examined.…”