Cogito Ergo Sum by MRI

What is left of the human being when the brain is badly damaged has been a question for philosophers and theologians. Now, however, an imaginative series of experiments using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, culminating in the article by Monti and colleagues in this issue of the Journal, ¹ has revealed a form of preserved cognition in ostensibly unconscious patients.The unfortunate term “vegetative” has been used to describe patients whose eyes open after a period of coma but who lack any meaningful responses to stimuli. Open eyes give the impression of normal alertness, but the patient's behavioral . . .