Open AccessA P300‐based cognitive assessment battery
Author(s) -
Kirschner Aaron,
Cruse Damian,
Chennu Srivas,
Owen Adrian M.,
Hampshire Adam
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
brain and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 41
ISSN - 2162-3279
DOI - 10.1002/brb3.336
Subject(s) - cognition , minimally conscious state , psychology , persistent vegetative state , volition (linguistics) , consciousness , electroencephalography , stimulus (psychology) , cognitive psychology , working memory , neuroscience , linguistics , philosophy
Background It is well established that some patients who are diagnosed as being in a vegetative state or a minimally conscious state show reliable signs of volition that may only be detected by measuring neural responses. A pertinent question is whether these patients are capable of higher cognitive processes. Methods Here, we develop a series of EEG paradigms that probe several core aspects of cognition at the bedside without the need for motor responses and explore the sensitivity of this approach in a group of healthy controls. Results Using analysis of ERP s alone, this method can determine with high reliability whether individual participants are able to attend a stimulus stream, maintain items in working memory, or solve complex grammatical reasoning problems. Conclusion We suggest that this approach could form the basis of a brain‐based battery for assessing higher cognition in patients with severe motor impairments or disorders of consciousness.