Monday, November 23, 2009

Coma or Locked-In Syndrome?

This past season, I was fascinated by the House, M.D. season five episode that featured Mos Def as a man who had "locked in syndrome," a condition where limited or no voluntary muscle movement is possible, but the person inside is totally aware and coherant of circumstances.

Today, a colleague shared with me a story of a man who experienced this for 23 years following a car accident. Doctors assumed he was in a coma, but he was actually aware. I'll let you read the two links below for details.


My question is not about his survival. My question is how he was able to survive the experience this and not go mad? This is like the ultimate in solitary confinement.

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