vegetative state

A vegetative state is a medical condition where a person is awake but shows no signs of awareness or purposeful response to their surroundings. They may have sleep-wake cycles and can exhibit automatic movements, such as blinking or swallowing, but lack cognitive function and cannot engage with people or the environment. This condition usually results from severe brain injury. It's different from a coma, where a person is unresponsive and cannot be awakened, and can be temporary or permanent, depending on the extent of the brain damage and the underlying cause.