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Can xenon reveal the Brain's switch for consciousness?

NCT ID NCT02768727

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 31, 2026 · Last updated Sep 01, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether xenon gas can help reveal how the brain loses and regains consciousness. Healthy volunteers aged 20 to 40 will breathe xenon at concentrations up to 60% for two hours. Researchers will measure the brain concentration of xenon at the moment consciousness is lost and regained, and test whether cognitive functions return all at once or in a specific order. The goal is to understand the brain's arousal circuits and how anesthesia affects them.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
xenon gas
What this could lead to
If it works, this could help researchers understand how the brain transitions between consciousness and unconsciousness, potentially improving anesthesia safety and recovery.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-phase study in healthy volunteers, so results may not apply to patients or real-world anesthesia. Xenon at high concentrations can cause unconsciousness, and there are risks like nausea or breathing changes.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

29 people

The number who actually took part.

Start date

Apr 2016

Finished

Dec 2021

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

20 to 40 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy volunteers ages 20-40 years old * American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status I or II (i.e. healthy) * Body Mass Index \<30 kg/m2 * Easily visible uvula Exclusion Criteria: * Any physical signs that would suggest a difficult airway (e.g. mouth opening \<3cm, short distance between the chin and neck, poor mandibular subluxation, thick neck) * History of reactive airway disease * Current or history of neuropsychiatric disorders * History or current use of psychotropic medications, * History or current obstructive sleep apnea * Current or history of cardiovascular disease or arrhythmias, * Current or history of chronic sleep disorders * History of postoperative nausea/vomiting * Family history of problems with anesthesia (including but not limited to malignant hyperthermia), * Current or history of Motion sickness * Current tobacco use * Current pregnancy or currently breastfeeding * Positive urine toxicology screen * History of seizure disorder, head injury, or brain tumor * Alcohol consumption greater than 12 drinks per week or more than 4 drinks on any single day * Inability to provide informed consent * Inability to achieve mask seal on intervention day

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Cognition Disorders cognitive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Neurocognitive dysfunction

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

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