Prognostication of Recovery in Early Disorders of Consciousness Study

Patients with disorders of consciousness (lacking overt signs of consciousness such as command-following) due to acute brain injury will be identified and enrolled via the Recovery of Consciousness Via Evidence-Based Medicine and Research (RECOVER) Program. Patients in the study will undergo a detailed behavioral consciousness assessment (with the Coma Recovery Scale - Revised \[CRS-R\]), conducted by specially trained personnel, as well as a task-based functional MRI with auditory stimulation (motor commands) to assess for technologic covert consciousness (the willful modulation of brain activity to command) and functional brain network connectivity. For a subset of patients, the functional MRI will be performed with and without noxious stimulation, during the same scanning session. Patients will undergo repeat behavioral evaluations at hospital discharge, and 3 and 6 months after, to assess for overt consciousness recovery.