Doctors discover new hope for "brain dead" patients

The study found that there is still activity within the brain even as patients EEG's flat lined indicating their brains were dormant.

The work was the result of an unusual case in Romania where a man went into a coma and doctors induced an even deeper version of the condition to try and preserve as much brain function as possible.

As they watched the man they were surprised to find activity in the hippocampus, something never before seen in such a deep coma.

Intrigued by the findings medical workers tried the same thing on cats and got a similar result.

"It's a new frontier in brain functioning," a scientist told the Montreal Gazette.

He said the study proves "there's a deeper form of coma that goes beyond the flat line, and during this state of very deep coma, cortical activity revives."

Over the years many families have made the decision to take loved ones off life preserving equipment when they were told their family member had no brain activity.

Doctors say these findings shouldn’t make those families second guess themselves.

This new research comes from patients with normal brain function rather than those who have suffered massive brain damage.

Doctors to believe this new information might help them protect the brains of patients placed in comas by preventing atrophy and further damage.

More here.