The demonstration by Monti et al. (2010) of willful modulation of brain activity in persistent vegetative state implies the exceptional condition of a "complete motor locked-in syndrome." As a consequence, the contradictory character of the diagnosis minimally conscious state should be recognized because behaviorally observed minimal cognitive responsiveness does not exclude a higher level of well-differentiated self-consciousness. Introduction of the descriptive entities "complete motor locked-in syndrome" and "minimal cognitive responsiveness" is therefore advocated in the service of diagnostic precision.