Introduction
The so-called waking coma is a condition in which the cerebral functions fail while the functions of the brain stem, spinal cord, cerebellum and some interbrain functions are maintained. This is usually the result of severe brain damage, for example in an accident. In medicine, coma vigil is also known as apallic syndrome. The affected patients appear outwardly awake, but have virtually no contact with their surroundings. Every year, about 3,000 to 5,000 people in Germany are newly affected.
Definition
In medicine, various criteria have been established to uniformly define the condition of vegetative state coma. Loss of the ability to get in contact with the environment, respectively to perceive the environment actively as well as loss of the consciousness about the own person Loss of the normal sleep-wake rhythm Loss of speech understanding and speech production (aphasia) Loss of the ability to react with the own behavior purposefully to external stimuli Loss of the control over intestine and bladder activity (incontinence) Extensive preservation of the reflexes
- Loss of the ability to get in contact with the environment or to perceive the environment actively as well as loss of consciousness about oneself
- Loss of the normal sleep-wake rhythm
- Loss of speech understanding and speech production (aphasia)
- Loss of the ability to react to external stimuli with one’s own behavior
- Loss of control over bowel and bladder activity (incontinence)
- Extensive preservation of the reflexes
Causes
Very different factors can be considered as the cause for the decay into apallic coma. What they all have in common, however, is that they cause severe brain damage. Most often, the apallic syndrome is caused by a craniocerebral trauma in the context of an accident (e.g. traffic accident, fall from a great height).
In severe injuries with pronounced blood loss, the apallic syndrome can also occur as a result of a temporary lack of oxygen supply to the brain. Finally, many other diseases affecting the brain can also lead to apallic coma. These include, for example, brain tumors, strokes, meningitis or encephalitis, or neurodegenerative diseases such as various Parkinson’s syndromes or Alzheimer’s disease. Learn all about Parkinson’s syndrome: Parkinson’s syndrome Ultimately, massive metabolic disorders can also trigger a waking coma, for example massive and prolonged hypoglycemia.
