Ethical considerations in functional magnetic resonance imaging research in acutely comatose patients

Charles Weijer; Tommaso Bruni; Teneille Gofton; G Bryan Young; Loretta Norton; Andrew Peterson; Adrian M Owen

doi:10.1093/brain/awv272

Ethical considerations in functional magnetic resonance imaging research in acutely comatose patients

Brain. 2016 Jan;139(Pt 1):292-9. doi: 10.1093/brain/awv272. Epub 2015 Sep 15.

Authors

Charles Weijer¹, Tommaso Bruni², Teneille Gofton³, G Bryan Young³, Loretta Norton⁴, Andrew Peterson², Adrian M Owen²

Affiliations

¹ 1 Rotman Institute of Philosophy, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 5B8, Canada 2 Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada cweijer@uwo.ca.
² 1 Rotman Institute of Philosophy, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 5B8, Canada 2 Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada.
³ 3 Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, 339 Windermere Road, London, Ontario, N6A 5A5, Canada.
⁴ 2 Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada 3 Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, 339 Windermere Road, London, Ontario, N6A 5A5, Canada.

Abstract

Determining the prognosis of comatose patients is difficult, and yet this information is vital for informing treatment decisions. While fMRI offers promise as a prognostic tool, further research is needed into its use. Weijer et al. provide the first analysis of the ethical issues surrounding such research in comatose patients.

Keywords: coma; functional MRI; prognosis; research ethics; traumatic brain injury.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Coma*
Human Experimentation / ethics*
Humans
Informed Consent / ethics*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / ethics*

Grants and funding

MOP133705/Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Canada