Functional neuroimaging and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from vegetative patients
Recent studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging of patients in a vegetative state have raised the possibility that such patients retain some degree of consciousness. In this paper, the ethical implications of such findings are outlined, in particular in relation to decisions about withdra...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2009
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| _version_ | 1797099172943364096 |
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| author | Wilkinson, D Kahane, G Horne, M Savulescu, J |
| author_facet | Wilkinson, D Kahane, G Horne, M Savulescu, J |
| author_sort | Wilkinson, D |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Recent studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging of patients in a vegetative state have raised the possibility that such patients retain some degree of consciousness. In this paper, the ethical implications of such findings are outlined, in particular in relation to decisions about withdrawing life-sustaining treatment. It is sometimes assumed that if there is evidence of consciousness, treatment should not be withdrawn. But, paradoxically, the discovery of consciousness in very severely brain-damaged patients may provide more reason to let them die. Although functional neuroimaging is likely to play an increasing role in the assessment of patients in a vegetative state, caution is needed in the interpretation of neuroimaging findings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T05:19:54Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:de87eb4c-ad81-4f96-bad3-65faf1370b1e |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T05:19:54Z |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:de87eb4c-ad81-4f96-bad3-65faf1370b1e2022-03-27T09:32:53ZFunctional neuroimaging and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from vegetative patientsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:de87eb4c-ad81-4f96-bad3-65faf1370b1eNeurosciencePhilosophyEthics (Moral philosophy)Ethics and communication in health careEnglishOxford University Research Archive - ValetBMJ Publishing Group2009Wilkinson, DKahane, GHorne, MSavulescu, JRecent studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging of patients in a vegetative state have raised the possibility that such patients retain some degree of consciousness. In this paper, the ethical implications of such findings are outlined, in particular in relation to decisions about withdrawing life-sustaining treatment. It is sometimes assumed that if there is evidence of consciousness, treatment should not be withdrawn. But, paradoxically, the discovery of consciousness in very severely brain-damaged patients may provide more reason to let them die. Although functional neuroimaging is likely to play an increasing role in the assessment of patients in a vegetative state, caution is needed in the interpretation of neuroimaging findings. |
| spellingShingle | Neuroscience Philosophy Ethics (Moral philosophy) Ethics and communication in health care Wilkinson, D Kahane, G Horne, M Savulescu, J Functional neuroimaging and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from vegetative patients |
| title | Functional neuroimaging and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from vegetative patients |
| title_full | Functional neuroimaging and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from vegetative patients |
| title_fullStr | Functional neuroimaging and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from vegetative patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Functional neuroimaging and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from vegetative patients |
| title_short | Functional neuroimaging and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from vegetative patients |
| title_sort | functional neuroimaging and withdrawal of life sustaining treatment from vegetative patients |
| topic | Neuroscience Philosophy Ethics (Moral philosophy) Ethics and communication in health care |
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