AAN 2021 | Detecting and predicting recovery of consciousness

Jan Claassen, MD, PhD, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, explains the ongoing research to improve the detection and prediction of consciousness recovery. Disorders of consciousness are very common after an acute brain injury. Therefore, it is essential to understand the disease mechanisms and patient evolution. Dr Claassen explains a study that evaluated clinically unconscious patients through electroencephalogram (EEG). Results showed that some patients presented brain activation upon a command. These observations are important to guide research towards better approaches to promote recovery and predict prognosis. This interview took place during the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2021 Annual Meeting.