Development of paradigms for the diagnosis of "covert cognition" and cognitive motor dissociation in patients with chronic disorders of consciousness

Abstract

The detection of signs of consciousness in patients with chronic disorders of consciousness is a complex clinical task. In recent decades, instrumental methods have been used to improve the accuracy of diagnostics. The phenomenon of covert cognition and cognitive motor dissociation have been demonstrated in a small proportion of patients in studies using instrumental methods in combination with different paradigms. This article describes the main features of the diagnostic paradigms used for such purposes. Currently, the development of its own complex of paradigms is held at the Research Center of Neurology collaboratively with group of neuropsychologists from Lomonosov Moscow State University. The general characteristics of this complex of paradigms are indicated. The practical significance of detecting the phenomenon of covert cognition and cognitive motor dissociation in patients with chronic disorders of consciousness is discussed.