Plant patients still

In a report published in the " Science " journal, researchers found signs of this.

The scientists from the Medical Research Council at Cambridge conducted tests on an extra deficiency. She has lived the plant life since the brain was badly injured after a traffic accident. They use an innovative scanner to measure brain activity, responding to common statements, such as " sugar and milk in his coffee ".

The brain of healthy people (left) and the patient's brain (right) have the same reaction (Photo: BBC)

Upon hearing it, the patient's brain reacts exactly like a healthy person's reaction.

Scientists do another test.

They ask patients to imagine that they are playing tennis. Meanwhile, the control areas act on the patient's brain making the scanner glow, as if she was imagining herself being physically active.

Scientists now say they will try to develop ways of communicating with patients who are still able to perceive but cannot move or verbalize.

The results of this study will have an effect on the debate about whether to shut down the system to support the patient's existence, just because they cannot signal whether or not it is still awake.