Life can be worth living in locked-in syndrome.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review presenting literature and unspecified new observational data without systematic review methods
PubMed 19818912 · doi:10.1016/S0079-6123(09)17723-3
What was done
The authors reviewed literature and presented new data on psychosocial adjustment, quality of life, and depressive symptoms in patients with locked-in syndrome resulting from acute (such as brainstem stroke) or chronic (such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) etiologies.
What was found
No numerical values or effect sizes are provided in the abstract. Directionally, physical functioning did not predict quality of life or depressive symptoms. Perceived social support emerged as the strongest predictor of psychosocial adjustment. Patients often rated their quality of life similarly to healthy age-matched peers, whereas primary caregivers and spouses rated the patients' quality of life significantly lower.
Why it matters
The findings challenge common clinical assumptions that severe motor paralysis inherently precludes an acceptable quality of life, highlighting the value of assistive communication and psychosocial support.
Limits
The abstract provides no sample sizes, numerical metrics, or systematic search methods. Findings are subject to selection bias and survivorship bias inherent to narrative reviews of locked-in populations.
Cited by
- supports In a study of locked-in syndrome patients in Israel who experienced pontine strokes, most communicated that they wished to continue living.