The minimally conscious state (MCS) defines a functional level of recovery following severe
brain injuries. Patients in MCS demonstrate unequivocal evidence of response to their
environment yet fail to recover the ability to communicate. Drawing on recent functional brain-
imaging studies, pathological data, and neurophysiological investigations, models of brain
function in MCS are proposed. MCS models are compared and contrasted with models of
the vegetative state (VS), a condition characterized by wakeful appearance and …