The personal doctor of Ariel Sharon said the comatose former prime minister responds to pinches and opens his eyes when spoken to.
Dr. Shlomo Segev made the remarks in a program broadcast Saturday on television that coincided with the fifth anniversary of the massive stroke that incapacitated the ex-prime minister.
The 82-year-old Sharon suffered from severe hemorrhaging that caused significant brain damage and he has been in a vegetative state since.
Former Sharon spokesman Raanan Gissin told The AP there has been no change in Sharon's condition.
Sharon was moved home in November, but Gissin said he has since been returned to the long-term care facility outside Tel Aviv for treatment.
