18-11-2014
Disorders of consciousness syndromes are characterised by unclear perception and understanding of the world, impaired contact with the environment, delayed reaction to stimuli, impaired recall and memory, disorientation.
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Disorders of consciousness syndromes can be divided into quantitative and qualitative.
Quantitative disorders:
- Pathological sleepiness - resembles natural sleepiness occurring in the evening hours or through fatigue. It is characterised by a tendency to fall asleep. The patient can be awakened quickly, but after a while the patient again feels an undiminished need to sleep. This sleepiness is not related to fatigue or to the natural rhythm of sleep and wakefulness.
- Semi-somnolence - soporific, or deep sleep, the patient cannot be awakened and responds to painful stimuli with a facial grimace, slight movement of the head or withdrawal of a limb.
- Coma - all reactivity is switched off, in the most severe cases there is areflexia and complete loss of reflexes.
