Which statement best describes the difference between a vegetative state and a coma?

• A. Periods of wakefulness in a vegetative state
• B. No wakefulness in a coma
• C. Both have wakefulness
• D. Vegetative state has full awareness

Answer: (A)

The key difference is wakefulness. In a vegetative state there are wakeful periods—eye opening and cycles between sleeping and waking—but there is no meaningful self-aware interaction with the environment. In a coma, there is no wakefulness at all and no purposeful responses. So noting that vegetative state includes periods of wakefulness directly contrasts it with coma, which lacks wakefulness. The other statements either describe coma without contrasting the two states, or misstate what vegetative state involves.