Ariel Sharon - Significant Brain Activity Detected after 7 Years in Vegetative State

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been in a persistent vegetative state since suffering a massive stroke in 2006.  But now doctors say they have observed "significant brain activity" in Sharon.  (CNN)  



They are basing this on the results of experiments done with functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, showing that Sharon's brain behaves differently when he is presented with familiar sounds and pictures than with unfamiliar stimuli.  Of course, it is totally unclear what any of this means for Sharon's ability to ever again meaningfully interact with his environment.