Synonyms
Coma; Unconscious
Definition
Loss of consciousness (LOC) is defined as a significant alteration of mental status involving a lack of responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli. It results in an interruption of one’s self and surroundings. Examples include being in a comatose state or experiencing a temporary loss of consciousness such as a syncope episode or fainting. Prolonged LOC is called a vegetative state or persistent vegetative state. The amount of time it takes a person to regain consciousness and awareness of one’s surroundings is often used as an indication of brain injury severity. Individuals who experience LOC may not always be able to state the amount of time they were unconscious. LOC information is often collected in research studies and has been shown to be a good predictor of outcome. When a person cannot remember the scene or may have post-traumatic amnesia for the event, it is sometimes advisable to obtain information from eyewitnesses of the...
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References and Readings
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Backhaus, S. (2018). Loss of Consciousness. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_252
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_252
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