Prescription Sleep Aid Ambien Found to Help Those Diagnosed as Being in a Vegetative State

People who have suffered severe brain damage are often diagnosed as having PVS, or persistent vegetative state. A doctor will make his or her diagnosis based on the fact that the person effected appears to have no comprehension of what is going on in the environment and also has no response to any stimuli other than pain for more than 30 days. Although many people eventually recover from this type of reaction to brain damage, others will remain in this state forever.

However, there is a new use found for the prescription drug Ambien that may prove to offer hope for those stuck in a vegetative state. This was first discovered when a patient was given the drug as a sedative to make him more comfortable. Instead of relaxing, the man began to speak and respond to questions despite the fact that he hadn't done so in years.

Many studies have been conducted supporting the use of this drug and have proven the treatment's effectiveness. CBS News showed one study that offered a brain scan of an individual with persistent vegetative state before and after the Ambien dose. The scan clearly depicts increased activity in the brain after the Ambien, even to an untrained eye. Other studies have shown that the wonder drug works for about 60% of PVS sufferers.

Many others have taken the drug and shown the same reaction. After years of being told their children can't hear them and will never recover parents are now given new hope. Those parents that have pulled the plug on their unresponsive children are now faced with guilt and questions they will never know the answers to.

The most profound implication here is that these people who appear to have no knowledge of their surroundings actually are more aware than once thought. When given Ambien they seem to awaken into a different person who can connect with his or her environment. They respond to questions appropriately and follow directions with multiple steps such as closing their eyes, shaking their heads and saying a word. When the Ambien wears off they drift back into their vegetative state.

More clinical trials need to be conducted, but the evidence is piling up on the benefits of Ambien on those diagnosed with persistent vegetative state. This drug suggests that many in a vegetative state can go on to live a life connected to those around them. Many won't have to be alone in their own minds anymore.