Diagnostic screening for conscious awareness in brain injury and disease: Visual component

Since the mid 1970s, medical personnel have used the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) as an important tool to rate and describe levels of consciousness. This scale is rudimentary and subjective, often resulting in misdiagnoses in cases where people lack the capacity to communicate. In some unfortunate situations, severe neurological damage can render people unable to move. Inevitably, these people are deemed vegetative when in actuality; many are simply ‘locked in’. Family members and professionals alike are left wondering…are they in there? For years researchers have used cognitive event related potentials (ERPs) with modified EEG to assess receptive language capacity. However, the testing is typically laborious and clinicians are not able to access it in order to assess their clients; which eliminates the technology’s utility to working professionals. Acknowledging this, an innovative research team out of Halifax lead by neuroscientist, Dr. Ryan D’Arcy developed the Halifax Consciousness Scanner (HCS).

Faculty Supervisor:

Bruce Dick

Student:

Partner:

Mindful Scientific Inc

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Accelerate