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Schumacher brain injury “may change him as a person”, says doctor (20 January 2014)

Date: 20/01/2014
Duncan Lewis, Personal Injury Solicitors, Schumacher brain injury “may change him as a person”, says doctor

A leading neurosurgeon is predicting that injured Formula One racing champion Michael Schumacher would be a different person if he wakes up from his coma.

Schumacher has been in a medically induced coma for nearly three weeks after sustaining a serious brain injury in a skiing accident in France on 29 December.

Schumacher was skiing off piste when he hit a rock and fell, landing on his head. His protective ski helmet was reportedly split apart in the impact.

Leading consultant neurologist Richard Greenwood of Homerton Hospital in London says that the type of brain injury Schumacher sustained could affect his personality and cognitive function, making him a different person.

Mr Greenwood was speaking at a meeting of doctors and journalists after Schumacher underwent an exploratory operation to help doctors treating him form a prognosis. Mr Greenwood delivered the devastating news that if Mr Schumacher recovers from his injury sufficiently to regain consciousness, he would be more like “an ordinary Joe” rather than the sporting hero he is known as globally.

Brain injury can affect patients in many ways – some unforeseen until the patient wakes up from a coma.

Some brain patients have serious physical disabilities as well as cognitive impairment which can affect their memory and ability to understand and communicate.

Doctors often prefer to give a more pessimistic view of a patient’s chances rather than raise hopes that a recovery to a patient’s previous daily life is possible.

Most brain injury patients undergo some form of rehabilitation, which can involve learning to speak and walk again – and even a less severe brain injury such as concussion can leave patients with some long-term effects such as memory impairment. Concussion can also be mild, moderate or severe and can quickly lead to more serious conditions such as a blood clot.

However, ongoing research by a leading British neuroscientist Professor Adrian Owen has revealed that some brain injury patients who have spent years in what is termed a persistent vegetative state can in fact hear and understand what is going on around them.

Prof Owen devised a methodology for communicating with brain injury patients in a persistent vegetative state, which involves asking specific questions and monitoring which areas of the patient’s brain light up afterwards using fMRI scanning. In cases where Prof Owen asked patients to answer “yes” or “no” – and to think about playing a game like tennis if the answer was “yes” – scans showed that areas of the brain associated with playing sports lit up after the question was asked, indicating the patient was answering “yes”.

Steven Graham – a brain injury patient who had been in a persistent vegetative state for several years – responded that he was aware he had a niece who had been born to his sister five years after his accident and he was also aware that the little girl visited him.

Another of Prof Owen’s study patients, Scott Routley, reassured him that he was not in any pain. Mr Routley’s parents had been convinced their son could communicate by moving his thumb, but medical staff had disputed this. Prof Owen’s research proved Mr Routley’s parents right.

Prof Owen’s research was the subject of a BBC1 Panorama documentary and highlights how much neuroscience still has to learn about brain injury, as often patients in a persistent vegetative state are thought not to be aware of their surroundings or be able to communicate.

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of personal injury and Legal Aid solicitors and can advise on making personal injury claims for brain injury as a result of another person’s negligence – including road traffic accidents or workplace accidents.

For expert help with brain injury compensation claims, contact Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 020 7923 4020.


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