Can a ‘sniff test’ predict recovery in patients with brain injuries?

Recovery and survival in patients with severe brain injury could be predicted with a simple and inexpensive ‘sniff test’, according to scientists at the University of Cambridge (UK). This research, published in the journal Nature, would aid doctors in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with brain injuries and disorders of consciousness. The study was conducted on 43 participants with severe brain injury who displayed minimal or no signs of awareness of their surroundings. The findings demonstrated that all of those who reacted to the sniff test eventually gained consciousness, with over 90% still surviving 3.5 years after the injury....