Delirium

About one in four older adults experiences confusion (delirium) after cardiac surgery, which can lead to longer hospital stays and higher risks. This pilot study tests whether using a brain-monitoring device to personalize blood pressure during surgery can help prevent delirium. …

This study will test whether living in a self-contained, AI-managed community (called a Microcity) can improve mental health and reduce addiction in adults with conditions like autism, ADHD, substance use disorders, and behavioral addictions. Up to 1 million participants will liv…

This study tests a short case management program for people who have been involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital. The program, designed with input from people who have experienced coercion, provides up to five sessions with a nurse or social worker starting during the h…

This study tests a new approach to prevent delirium (sudden confusion) in intensive care patients. It uses an artificial intelligence system to help nurses make better care decisions and virtual reality to keep patients mentally active. The goal is to reduce the risk of long-term…

This pilot study tests whether giving insulin as a nasal spray can prevent delirium (sudden confusion) in adults aged 65 and older after complex heart surgery. About 30 participants will receive either the insulin spray or a placebo before and after surgery. The goal is to see if…

This study tests whether giving lorazepam, a sedative, can prevent delirium in intensive care patients who are at high risk due to heavy alcohol use. Researchers will use a blood test (Anttila-Index) to identify these patients. The trial involves 260 adults admitted to the ICU, w…

This study tests a new approach to prevent delirium (sudden confusion) in patients with a type of stroke called subarachnoid hemorrhage who are in the intensive care unit. The program combines standard medical care with basic body awareness therapy and video-based communication. …

This study tests whether using a brain monitor (EEG) during laparoscopic surgery helps patients wake up faster, have less pain, and avoid confusion. 136 adults having elective abdominal surgery will be randomly assigned to groups with or without the monitor, in different surgical…

This study tests whether giving magnesium before surgery can reduce emergence delirium—a state of confusion and agitation—in children aged 4 to 7 after adenotonsillectomy. Half the children receive magnesium by mouth before surgery, half receive it through an IV during surgery, a…

This study tests whether wearing eye masks and/or earplugs at night can improve sleep quality and reduce delirium in 128 patients recovering from coronary artery bypass surgery. Participants will be randomly assigned to use these aids on the first three nights after surgery. Rese…

This study will test whether giving children a local anesthetic (numbing medicine) in their gums before dental work under general anesthesia helps them wake up more calmly and with less pain. Eighty children aged 7 to 12 will be randomly assigned to receive the numbing shot or no…

This study compares opioid-free anesthesia to standard opioid-based anesthesia in 400 adults having elective heart surgery. The goal is to see if avoiding opioids can reduce both short-term and long-term pain, while also lowering side effects like delirium and nausea. Patients wi…

This study tests whether listening to music (Taiwan-localized or classical) combined with mindful breathing can reduce delirium, pain, and anxiety in ICU patients. Fifty-one adults at risk for delirium will receive the intervention twice daily for five days. Researchers will meas…

This study tests whether using a special brain monitor (BIS) to guide sedation can reduce the amount of sedative drugs given to adults in the ICU after heart surgery. About 144 participants will be randomly assigned to either BIS-guided sedation or standard care. The goal is to s…

This study tests whether adding low-dose ketamine to standard sedatives helps critically ill patients on breathing machines recover faster and spend more days alive at home. About 640 adults who need unplanned ventilation and sedation will receive either ketamine or a placebo for…

This study tests whether a stellate ganglion block (a nerve injection) can reduce delirium (sudden confusion) and improve sleep-wake cycles in intensive care patients aged 65 and older. Delirium is common in the ICU and linked to worse outcomes. The trial will compare 130 patient…

This study tests whether using brain wave (EEG) monitoring to guide anesthesia during surgery can reduce postoperative delirium—a common side effect in older adults that can lead to lasting memory problems. Researchers will train anesthesia providers to interpret EEG data and adj…

This study looks at whether virtual art therapy can help 62 patients in the coronary intensive care unit (ICU) feel less angry, anxious, and confused. Patients will use a tablet or screen to create art, and researchers will measure changes in vital signs, delirium risk, and menta…

This study tests whether dexmedetomidine, a sedative, can lower the chance of delirium (sudden confusion) in children who need a breathing machine in the ICU. About 266 children aged 1 month to 17 years will be randomly assigned to receive either dexmedetomidine or the standard d…

This study tests whether phenobarbital, an older sedative, can safely calm agitated delirium in ICU patients as well as standard antipsychotics. About 150 adults with hyperactive delirium will receive either phenobarbital or usual care. Researchers will compare how long patients …

This study tests whether combining breathing exercises with progressive muscle relaxation can reduce shortness of breath, anxiety, and delirium in patients recovering from heart surgery. 116 adults will be randomly assigned to either receive these techniques plus standard care, o…

This study tests whether a type of cognitive training called Action-Based Cognitive Remediation (ABCR) can improve thinking skills in people with various psychiatric conditions like depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, PTSD, and autism. Participants will complete computer exercise…

This study tests whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called TMS can shorten the duration of delirium (sudden confusion) that often occurs after heart surgery in people aged 50 and older. Half of the 144 participants will receive real TMS, and half will receive a sh…

This study tests whether a medication called dexmedetomidine can help patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) sleep more restfully. Good sleep is important for recovery, but ICU conditions often disrupt it. About 50 adult ICU patients will either receive the medication or a pla…

This study tests a portable exercise bike that clamps to hospital beds, allowing patients to pedal their arms and legs while lying down. The goal is to see if using the bike for at least 15 minutes a day can help prevent muscle loss, weakness, and other problems like blood clots …

This study will test if guided nature-based therapy, like forest bathing and gardening, can improve the wellbeing of elderly patients with dementia and patients recovering from stroke or brain injury. Researchers will measure changes in agitation, mood, and quality of life in 1,6…

This early-stage study will test whether an injection of gastrodin, a compound from a traditional Chinese herb, is safe and tolerable in 54 healthy adults. Researchers will also measure how the drug moves through the body. If successful, this could lead to larger studies in patie…

This study tests whether a sleep medication called lemborexant can help older adults in the intensive care unit (ICU) sleep better and reduce their risk of delirium, a state of sudden confusion. The trial will involve 100 patients aged 65 and older who are in the surgical ICU. Pa…

This study tests whether a medicine called dexmedetomidine can reduce pain and prevent confusion (delirium) in adults after brain surgery. Sixty people having planned brain tumor removal will receive either the drug or a placebo during surgery. The goal is to see if it lowers pai…

This study tests whether a non-invasive device that delivers mild electrical pulses to the ear (taVNS) can prevent confusion and restlessness when children wake up from anesthesia after tonsillectomy. 120 children aged 3-8 will be randomly assigned to receive either real taVNS or…

This study compares two sedatives, remimazolam and midazolam, to see which one causes less confusion (delirium) after heart valve surgery in people aged 65 and older. Delirium affects up to 70% of older heart surgery patients and can lead to longer hospital stays and memory probl…

This study compares an AI-powered orientation program to one given by human nurses for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The goal is to see if the AI program helps patients have more days without delirium, lowers anxiety and depression, and shortens their hospital stay. …

This study aims to adapt and validate a French version of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS), a questionnaire that measures how people feel about their own recovery from mental health conditions. Researchers will ask 260 adult psychiatric patients in France to fill out the RAS a…

This study will follow 500 people with severe aortic stenosis who need a heart valve replacement. Researchers want to see if a dedicated Heart Valve Unit—a team of heart specialists working together—can reduce confusion, delirium, and memory problems that sometimes happen after t…

This study follows 120 malnourished adults undergoing major abdominal or pelvic cancer surgery to see how their gut function, nutrition, and risk of confusion (delirium) change in the first week after surgery. Researchers will also check if giving a natural chemical called seroto…

This study looks at whether waking up more slowly from anesthesia can help people recover better after lower-leg or foot surgery. Researchers will compare two groups of adults to see if a longer wake-up improves clear thinking, reduces pain, and shortens time in the recovery room…

This study watches brain activity in 300 adults during high-risk surgeries like heart or spine operations. Researchers use special monitors to track brain waves and pressure, linking them to patient outcomes. The goal is to understand why some people develop confusion or brain in…

This study watches 250 children aged 2 to 8 who are having urogenital surgery. Researchers want to see if the time they fast (no food or drink) before the operation changes how much pain or confusion they feel afterward. The goal is to learn if shorter fasting times could help ki…

This study tracks 120 adults having heart surgery to see if continuous monitoring of blood pressure and brain oxygen levels can predict problems like confusion, memory loss, or kidney injury afterward. Researchers will measure how long and how severely these levels drop during su…

This study will test a tool called the Health Improvement Profile (HIP) in a mental health inpatient unit. The HIP is a checklist that helps clinicians spot physical health problems like high blood pressure or poor diet in people being treated for mental illness. Researchers will…

This study will test a simple score to predict which patients may become confused (delirium) after planned heart surgery. About 100 adults will be checked before surgery using memory, orientation, and frailty tests. The goal is to identify high-risk patients early so doctors can …

This study tests a new monitor (Ceribell) to see if it can help doctors spot delirium in ICU patients sooner than standard checks. About 100 adults in the ICU will take part. The goal is to see if earlier detection leads to better treatment decisions.

This study aims to better understand psychiatric disorders, thinking problems, and treatment side effects in 2000 cancer patients and their close relatives. Researchers will compare those with and without mental health issues to find patterns and improve care. No new treatments a…

Delirium is common in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) and can be hard to diagnose. This study will use non-contact cameras to analyze patients' facial micro-expressions and other biological signals. By combining this data with machine learning, researchers aim to build a mod…

This study will check how much psychiatric clients know about occupational therapy (OT) and whether their expectations are realistic. It will also evaluate how well OT interns explain health information and conduct interviews. Researchers will develop new tools to measure these s…

This study tests whether artificial intelligence can analyze video recordings of ICU patients to predict dangerous events like pulling out breathing tubes or becoming severely agitated. About 300 patients will have a small camera above their bed that records movements and sleep p…

This study looks at whether certain blood markers can predict delirium (sudden confusion) in older adults with heart failure. Researchers will compare two markers: one for inflammation (SII) and one for blood sugar and fat levels (TyG). They aim to find a simple way to identify h…

This study tests whether an AI model (ChatGPT-5) can help doctors make better decisions for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). About 1000 adults admitted to the ICU will be randomly assigned to standard care or care where the AI provides diagnostic and trea…