People can be in mental states in which they have no voluntary movements, have no sensations, have no perceptions, have no awareness, do not experience sensations, have no event or object memories, and have no functioning mind {unconsciousness, state}|. Unconsciousness is not awakeness, sleeping, coma, stupor, nor vegetative state. Body functions automatically. Unconscious people cannot use habits or perform voluntary behaviors. Unconscious people have no sensations or perceptions. Unconscious people cannot use declarative memories. All mammals can become unconscious, and ability to become unconscious indicates previous consciousness [MacIntyre, 1958].
causes
Unconsciousness occurs when people are asleep and not dreaming, have received a brain concussion, have finished an epileptic episode, have anesthesia, or have fainted.
Trauma from high physical pressure, such as concussion, causes brainstem damage. Low blood-oxygen concentration, low blood-glucose concentration, low blood flow, and low blood pressure affect brainstem. Blood nitrogen-gas bubbles can affect brainstem neurons [Forster and Whinnery, 1988] [Rossen et al., 1943] [Whinnery and Whinnery, 1990].
Consciousness>Consciousness>States>Impaired States
1-Consciousness-States-Impaired States
Outline of Knowledge Database Home Page
Description of Outline of Knowledge Database
Date Modified: 2022.0224