Man regains consciousness after 15 years in vegetative state
Sirigu and her team stimulated the nerve by implanting a device underneath the skin in his chest, similar to a pacemaker, and sending electrical currents along the nerve to the brain stem. They saw improvement after just a month, but six months later, he was able to move and consciously respond to external stimuli.
The man still suffers severe brain damage and cannot speak, but he was able to follow movement with his eyes, turn his head when someone was speaking to him and even appeared to cry upon hearing his favorite song.
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-sty...s-15-years-vegetative-state-article-1.3520832