[Symptoms of disconnection of cerebral hemispheres and brain stem in severe cranio-cerebral injuries].

Based on an analysis of 56 cases with diffuse axonal lesions the authors describe symptoms of dissociation of the brain hemispheres and brain stem. Such symptoms occur on transformation of long coma to a steady or transitory vegetative state and are characterized by chaotic activation of the subcortical and stem formations remaining intact and dynamic manifestation of a complex of postural and generalized motor reactions, complex pathological reflexes, oral, oculomotor, pupillary and cerebrospinal automatisms, paroxysmal vegeto-visceral abnormalities along with functional silence of the cortex.