do commatose people still think,hear and feel?

Answer 1

For us in the medical professional we use the Glasgow Coma Scale to evaluate and rate the comatose pts:


The Glasgow Coma Scale provides a score in the range 3-15; patients with scores of 3-8 are usually said to be in a coma. The total score is the sum of the scores in three categories. For adults the scores are as follows:

Eye Opening Response Spontaneous--open with blinking at baseline 4 points
Opens to verbal command, speech, or shout 3 points
Opens to pain, not applied to face 2 points
None 1 point

Verbal Response Oriented 5 points
Confused conversation, but able to answer questions 4 points
Inappropriate responses, words discernible 3 points
Incomprehensible speech 2 points
None 1 point


Motor Response Obeys commands for movement 6 points
Purposeful movement to painful stimulus 5 points
Withdraws from pain 4 points
Abnormal (spastic) flexion, decorticate posture 3 points
Extensor (rigid) response, decerebrate posture 2 points
None 1 point


So a deeply comatose patient with only a score of 3-8 won't be able to open his eyes and blink on command. He might be able to open his eyes only with pain. He won't be able to speak. And he has no motor skills. If any, he might withdraw to pain with decorticate or decerebrate posturing. It is still questionable that the comatose pt can and do hear. However, definitely, the logical or thinking process or assimilation of information is gone. The feelings to pain stimulus is still present even if in an abnormal fashion.

The medical community is clear in its definition of Brain dead. .Irreversible brain damage and loss of brainstem function, as evidenced by cessation of breathing and other vital reflexes, unresponsiveness to stimuli, absence of muscle activity, and a flat electroencephalogram for a specific length of time

Answer 2

If the medical community could answer this question then it would proke a whole new arguement to withdrawling life support and life sustaining procedures. If they could think, hear, and feel then they would be considered concious because that is what humans do. Thinking and able to process brain activity and stimulus is what is considered awake and concious. I think that people who observe people in a comatose state that say they believe their loved one hears them or whatever are drawing straws because they don't want to believe that that person is hurt and will never wake up. The brain is a very miraculus organ until it is damaged. Once damaged it doesn't not heal itself much like your skin would if it's cut or your bone would if broke. Once damaged always damaged. Sometimes though your brain makes new pathways and patients have regained some use of some of their faculties. But one can never tell that this will happen to a patient.

Answer 3

It is not known for sure, but brain wave activity on a comatose patient suggest that they do know to a certain extent what is going on around them. If you know someone in a coma, it is a good idea to talk positive around them and not be upset while in their presence. Always give them encouraging words. We all can hope this helps and will pull them through.

Answer 4

i dont know about all people cause im not a doctor however two people that i knew that were in a coma both showed signs that they could hear us talking to them.

Answer 5

yes.. i was in it before...whatever my friends said i could hear them vaguely

Answer 6

yes.