What's the point of unconscious/comas?

[SleepyFin]

This question is specifically about comas after shock, as I think this relates to a subconscious decision of the body to do this to protect itself, as a pose to, for instance, alcoholic comas, where a toxin has shut down the brain. So; my question is, as a caveman style safety system, why does it make sense to put all your defences down to protect yourself?

Thanks in advance for any knowledge you can share, and don't be afraid to tell me I'm completely wrong!

Fin

 

[SteamKing]

Sometimes, it's not a choice. A coma can result from physical injury to the brain; it's not that the brain chooses to function at a minimal level, it may not be physically possible for the brain to function otherwise. In those cases where coma results, survival of the individual depends on how quickly care is rendered. If no one is available to care for someone who is unconscious, death will likely result.

Some days, you get the bear; other days, the bear gets you. :(

 

[Pythagorean]

An anecdote. My youngest had breath holding spells. She would hold her breath when she got really upset. When she passed out, she'd resume breathing.

So maybe one benefit of unconsciousness is that it can help mitigate damages caused by over-reactive fight-or-flight responses.

But, as SteamKing has implied, it doesn't have to be adaptive behavior, it could just be a byproduct of having adapted something as complicated as a brain.

 

[zoobyshoe]

This question is specifically about comas after shock, as I think this relates to a subconscious decision of the body to do this to protect itself...

I have actually never heard of this. Can you link to anything that asserts a coma can result from purely psychological stress? (Coma is different than fainting or passing out, mind you.)

 

[berkeman]

So; my question is, as a caveman style safety system, why does it make sense to put all your defences down to protect yourself?

Not so much to address your coma question (a coma is extremely serious), but to address your loss of consciousness (LOC) question... Most causes of shock can be temporarily mitigated by laying the patient (Pt) down flat. So feinting accomplishes that mitigation task. (Well, except that in those situations the Pt often sustains a serious head injury from the fall -- oops).

So maybe one benefit of unconsciousness is that it can help mitigate damages caused by over-reactive fight-or-flight responses.

(Coma is different than fainting or passing out, mind you.)

 

[zoobyshoe]

So feinting accomplishes that mitigation task..

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=feint+definition (Feinting is different than fainting or passing out, mind you.)

 

[jim mcnamara]

I'm with Zooby - this is a confusing thread. Coma is a serious problem, the body loses resources to the point where consciousness is no longer possible.

Fainting is not a coma.

First off there is generally no "point" to most severe physiological responses. A "point" involves the concept of some pre-defined benefit. Ain't none. Going into a coma state does not imply some inherent benefit. 200,000 years ago if a human went into a coma state s/he became predator food. So, unless some other poster can assert differently, with a good reference, I would submit this to be tantamount to dying and convey no special benefit. End of point.

 

[berkeman]

(Feinting is different than fainting or passing out, mind you.)

Oops, thanks for the spelling correction, zooby! I'm just used to writing LOC on my PCRs... :-)

Going into a coma state does not imply some inherent benefit.

There are some indications and benefits for medically induced comas, but those certainly don't apply to our caveman ancestors! :-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_coma