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Summary
The auditory eccentric response appears to be of predictive value for neurological outcome in the early stages of coma. In the present study, the auditory eccentric response was examined longitudinally during the recovery from the vegetative state to consciousness. This response was examined repeatedly every 2 weeks for an average period of 3.5 months in patients with severe brain injury. The results showed that the amplitude of the auditory eccentric response was not related to the behavioral changes during the patients' recovery from the vegetative state to consciousness. However, the presence and size of a negative potential after about 350 milliseconds predicted the behavioral outcome, both for the short and long term (2 to 3 years after the injury). Practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords
Brain Injury, Vegetative State, Unresponsive Vigilance Syn[1]drome, Minimally Conscious State, Consciousness, Auditory Eccentric, P300, N3501