Sopor is a medical term for a profound depression of consciousness in which the patient cannot be roused by ordinary stimuli but can still be aroused briefly by strong stimulation such as pain, loud sound, or bright light, while preserving coordinated defensive reactions and vital signs. The term is one of several traditional descriptors used to grade impaired consciousness along a spectrum that ranges from full alertness through coma; its use is most established in German-, Russian-, and Romance-language neurology, whereas in English-language clinical practice the closely related terms obtundation and stupor are more commonly used and the term sopor itself appears less often.
Etymology
The name is derived from Latin sopor ("deep sleep"), cognate with the Latin noun Somnus and the Ancient Greek noun ὕπνος, Hypnos. The same root gives rise to the adjective soporific, meaning "sleep-inducing", used both of drugs (such as sedatives and hypnotics) and of any environmental factor that promotes sleep.
See also
- Altered level of consciousness
- Coma
- Glasgow Coma Scale
- Obtundation
- Somnolence
- Stupor