Can a 'temporal interference' electric field nudge the brain back toward awareness?
NCT ID NCT06822192
First seen Jul 22, 2026 · Last updated Jul 23, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called temporally interfering (TI) electrical stimulation can help people with disorders of consciousness, such as a minimally conscious state or unresponsive wakefulness syndrome. Participants receive either real TI stimulation or a sham version, and researchers measure changes in consciousness using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised and brain activity markers. The goal is to see if TI can safely promote recovery of awareness in patients who have been unconscious for at least a month.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- temporally interfering electrical stimulation (TI)
- What this could lead to
- If effective, TI could offer a new way to help some patients regain awareness after severe brain injury.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early-stage trial with only 28 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The treatment involves brain stimulation, which carries unknown risks in this population.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Hangzhou Mingzhou Brain Rehabilitation Hospital
Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, China
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