RIGHT MEDIAN NERVE STIMULATION IN TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: EVALUATION OF IMPROVEMENT USING CLINICAL SCALES AND PET SCAN

Electrical stimulation may serve as a catalyst to enhance central nervous system functions and the right median nerve has been chosen as a portal to electrically stimulate and help arouse the central nervous system for persons with reduced levels of consciousness. The mechanisms of central action include increased cerebral blood flow and raised levels of dopamine. Right median nerve stimulation (RMNS) is a safe, inexpensive, non-invasive therapy and may help in facilitating recovery from coma. It does not have any reported side effects and might be used for all those patients who are in coma or vegetative state. We present a case of Traumatic Brain Injury in which we used position emission tomography (PET) in addition to clinical scales, to identify the changes in brain metabolism following RMNS therapy.