This review aims to create a pathway map that synthesizes existing research on various pathways that contribute to our conscious states into a single pathway map and aims to explore novel therapeutic targets that could lead to earlier intervention in comatose patients.

An important clinical marker for comatose patient outcomes has traditionally been coma duration. Longer comatose states may lead to poorer outcomes because of complications secondary to being comatose such as infections due to prolonged stasis and associated immunodeficiency. The scarcity of successful treatment models for coma patients emphasizes the need to find novel targets to successfully intervene sooner and potentially improve outcomes for comatose patients.

Data collection was done by performing searches on various scientific search engines using specific keywords to isolate relevant research. MeSH Terms were implemented into search criteria when appropriate. A literature review was conducted using secondary analysis to synthesize existing research to develop a new pathway map.

Previously suggested pathways were studied to identify overlapping features and mediators. This led to the extrapolation of a novel pathway map that emphasizes all the mediators we currently know of that influence consciousness. This provided a basis to suggest multiple novel approaches to the treatment of coma patients regarding potentially shortening the duration of their comatose state.

The development of this new pathway map succinctly summarizes and connects the findings across existing research that suggested different pathways independent of one another. This provides a seemingly simple, yet vital, overview of consciousness pathways that connects underlying mediators to possible novel treatment targets that could help provide new direction for future coma research. Subsequently, this can facilitate the transition of coma research from focusing on understanding contributing biological factors to developing potential treatment protocols that could lead to the earlier intervention in comatose patients.