Minimally conscious state

**Definition:** Subacute or chronic state of severely disturbed consciousness in which patients show minimal yet definite signs of consciousness, such as visual pursuit or command following, occurring after a severe brain injury. These patients do not show functional communication or functional use of objects.

**Long definition:** Patients have to show limited but clearly discernible evidence of consciousness of self or environment, on a reproducible or sustained basis, by at least one of the following behaviors: (1) following simple commands, (2) gestural or verbal yes/no response (regardless of accuracy), (3) intelligible verbalization, (4) purposeful behavior (including movements or affective behavior that occur in contingent relation to relevant environment stimuli and are not due to reflexive activity). The emergence of minimally conscious state is defined by the ability to use functional interactive communication or functional use of objects. Akinetic mutism is a less frequent condition that has been described as a subcategory of the minimally conscious syndrome.