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comment by mk
mk  ·  4835 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Locked-in syndrome: rare survivor Richard Marsh recounts his ordeal

I agree that they are either playing up that aspect, or that he had extremely terrible care. I previously did stroke research, I didn't practice medicine, and I knew about locked-in syndrome. I'm sure any neurologist worth his/her salt would check for a blink response.





blimpy  ·  4835 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Perhaps his blinking response was involuntary at first. Could be that after several days he managed to control it.

mk  ·  4834 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I honestly don't think that's possible.

b_b  ·  4834 days ago  ·  link  ·  

No? People often regain use of limbs days or weeks after a stroke or traumatic brain injury. Eyelids? Why not?

mk  ·  4834 days ago  ·  link  ·  

In those cases their limbs are paralyzed and they don't move. This guy was blinking. I suppose eyelids could be paralyzed, but I would assume they wouldn't move then.

blimpy  ·  4822 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Is it possible that blinking is an automatic response but that controlling your blinking for the sake of communication exists on some other level? breathing and speaking are similar functions but are controlled differently, right?