PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Matsuda, W
AU  - Matsumura, A
AU  - Komatsu, Y
AU  - Yanaka, K
AU  - Nose, T
TI  - Awakenings from persistent vegetative state: report of three cases with parkinsonism and brain stem lesions on MRI
AID  - 10.1136/jnnp.74.11.1571
DP  - 2003 Nov 01
TA  - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
PG  - 1571--1573
VI  - 74
IP  - 11
4099  - http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/74/11/1571.short
4100  - http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/74/11/1571.full
SO  - J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry2003 Nov 01; 74
AB  - Three patients with a persistent vegetative state after severe head injury are reported. They recovered from a prolonged disturbance of consciousness after the administration of levodopa. These patients all had parkinsonian features. On magnetic resonance imaging, the distribution of lesions implied a diffuse axonal injury involving the substantia nigra or ventral tegmental area. The existence of patients whose dopaminergic systems may have been selectively damaged by a severe head injury should be recognised because such individuals may respond to levodopa treatment.