Brain-wave test may predict who wakes up after severe brain injury

After a severe brain injury, some patients survive but cannot communicate, and it is difficult to predict who will recover consciousness. This observational study in Cyprus is testing whether a brain-wave monitoring technique called the bispectral index (BIS) can improve predictions beyond standard bedside exams. Researchers will follow 40 patients with traumatic brain injury or haemorrhagic stroke for 6 to 12 months to see how well BIS readings correlate with later recovery of consciousness.