Sleeping pill temporarily helps man walk and talk for first time in eight years

A man was woken from a years-long, deeply non-responsive and paralysed state after he was given a sleeping pill, a remarkable new study has claimed.

The Dutch man, aged 37 and identified only as Richard in the report, had been left in a wheelchair and unable to talk for eight years, after he choked on a piece of meat and sustained brain damage.

When doctors in Amsterdam gave Richard a small dose of Zolpidem, also known more commonly as Ambien, he experienced a "spectacular" but temporary "awakening".

Just 20 minutes after taking the drug, Richard was able to shrug off severe physical and mental impairments that otherwise left him in a wheelchair, incontinent, reliant on a tube for feeding and entirely dependent on nursing care.

"The patient started communicating spontaneously, asking the nurse how his wheelchair was to be operated, and requesting fast food," the study, published in medical journal Cortex, stated.

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"He managed to walk while being supported by the staff and phoned his father, who had not heard his son's voice for years."

Doctors described Richard in the report as "cheerful" and "alert".

He began showing an interest in people and objects surrounding him.

But unfortunately the positive effects were short-lived.

Richard's upswing in physical and mental ability usually lasted between one to two hours.

And then, as the study progressed, doctors found the efficacy of the drug also began to diminish.

A severe reduction in effectiveness was noticeable after they had administered zolpidem for several consecutive days.

The time windows during which the patient was able to talk and move got narrower, and his abilities to move and speak during these time windows decreased.

So doctors began to tinker and spread out the doses.

"On average, it would require two to three medication-free weeks to notice the effects of a single dose of zolpidem again," the study found.

Before the study, Richard showed no signs of spontaneous speech.

He could usually respond to questions or commands with gestures, but with difficulty and usually a significant delay.

After Richard choked on a piece of meat, doctors believed his brain shut down to sensory overload.

The damage to his brain resulted in a rare condition known as akinetic mutism.

The study found the sleeping pill cancelled or muted out the impairing and unwanted brain activity.

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Researchers hope the study could offer hope to some patients with specific brain injuries who are stuck in a non-responsive state.

Before the study, doctoral student Willemijn van Erp of Radboud University said Richard's situation had seemed "hopeless".

"It was clear that Richard saw and heard us, but because of his brain injury, he was barely able to respond to us."

Because of his predicament, Richard's family agreed to his participation in the Amsterdam University Medical Center study.

"Against all expectations, zolpidem had remarkable effects," Ms van Erp said.

"After taking the sleep pill, Richard started talking, wanted to call his father, and started recognising his brothers again.

"With some help, he could even get up from his wheelchair and walk short distances."

Richard was 29 when he choked on the meat.