Recent studies on patients in a vegetative state undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging have made it possible to better differentiate the vegetative state from the minimally conscious state and have shown the prospect of detecting permanent islands of consciousness in these patients. These findings may further intensify the legal and moral dilemmas raised by these cases, in that scientific advancements are increasingly making the principle In dubio pro vita an elusive criterion to apply when dealing with patients who look as if they might return to a conscious state.
Keywords: Vegetative state, minimally conscious state, best interest, awareness, autonomy, neuroimaging