Doctors said on Saturday tests showed activity in both sides of Ariel Sharon's brain, but they reported no signs the Israeli prime minister was emerging from a medically induced coma 10 days after suffering a massive stroke, Reuters reported. Hadassah hospital said the tests showed "activity in both brain hemispheres in keeping with the prime minister's state of consciousness". Earlier this week, Sharon responded to pain stimuli on both sides of his body, but he apparently has not made notable progress since then. Doctors have been attempting to bring Sharon, 77, out of the coma, induced to prevent his brain from swelling after surgery, to determine the level of brain damage caused by the stroke. According to the statement issued by Hadassah hospital, Sharon's pulse, respiration, blood pressure and body temperature remained "sound and stable". Ultrasound tests conducted after a brain catheter was removed showed no expansion of Sharon's brain. The health crisis has cast a pall over Middle East peacemaking and an Israeli election on March 28. Sharon is not expected to return to political life and his deputy, interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, will likely lead his newly formed Kadima party into the ballot. --more 21 42 Local Time 18 42 GMT
