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A team of neuroscientists tested the brain of iconic Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon last week using MRI scans and found that he was responding to external information, like photos of family members, according to media reports. Sharon has been in a vegetative state since 2006 due to a brain hemorrhage.

The test was conducted over a period of two hours, where neuroscientists assessed brain function by showing Sharon pictures of his house and family members, along with random photographs. Certain regions of Sharon's brain increased activity, showing that the brain was processing information, said a news release from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

To test whether or not Sharon was conscious, researchers then subjected him to three tests. In the first one, they asked him to imagine he was playing tennis; in the second test, they asked him to imagine that he was walking in a room of his house; and in the third test, they showed him a photo of himself and his house and asked him to focus on his face. Researchers say that he was definitely responding to information, but these were all subtle signs of consciousness.

"Information from the external world is being transferred to the appropriate parts of Mr. Sharon's brain. However, the evidence does not as clearly indicate whether Mr. Sharon is consciously perceiving this information. We found faint brain activity indicating that he was complying with the tasks. He may be minimally conscious, but the results were weak and should be interpreted with caution," said Martin Monti, an assistant professor of psychology and neurosurgery at UCLA in a statement from the University.

Back in 2011, Sharon's son Gilad had said that his dad did respond to some requests. "When he is awake, he looks at me and moves fingers when I ask him to," he said then, reports The New York Times, adding, "I am sure he hears me."

Ariel Sharon, one of Israel's most admired leaders, has missed out much in the past seven years, including the Arab Spring and rising tensions in many Arab and African countries, according to a report by CNN.

The brain imaging was conducted at the Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba, Israel.