What is a "coma"?

What is a "coma"?

Les Weiner (Former Chair of the Department of Neurology, University of Southern California) gives expert video advice on: How long can a person be in a coma?; What is "persistent vegetative state"? and more...

In general anesthesia you are in a coma. Now, when you're in a coma you could have a normal brain activity, except that it is suppressed because you're essentially sleeping. You will not respond to deep pain when you're in a coma. You may still maintain your blood pressure, you may still be able to breathe. But your brain is essentially asleep, it's not going to respond. it can be reversible obviously, depends on the cause of it.