Can a flicker of movement reveal hidden awareness?
NCT ID NCT06406413
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at very small movements (micro-movements) in patients who have been unconscious for over a month after a severe brain injury. Researchers will use emotional stimuli to see if these movements, along with brain scans, can detect hidden awareness. The goal is to better classify each patient's level of consciousness and improve predictions of recovery. 179 participants will be followed for 6 months.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to better ways to detect awareness in patients who appear unresponsive, improving diagnosis and care.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. It may not directly change patient outcomes, and results may not apply to all patients.
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.
- Participants
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About 179 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2024
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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.
Who is studied
Patients are recruited from both general hospitals and rehabilitation hospitals.
- Ages
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18 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: 1. Patients with consciousness disorders for more than 28 days following severe brain injury, assessed by the CRS-R scale to meet the criteria for VS or MCS; 2. Aged between 18 and 80 years; 3. Stable vital signs; 4. Voluntary participation of family members with signed informed consent; 5. Good cooperation, minimal facial and spontaneous activities, no use of antiepileptic or sedative drugs. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Locked-in syndrome; 2. Contraindications for EEG examination; 3. Contraindications for MRI scanning, such as the presence of internal metallic implants; 4. Diseases and factors that may affect brain function assessment, such as metabolic disorders, poisoning, shock, etc.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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First Affiliated Hospital,Zhejiang University
RECRUITINGHanzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Brain-wave test may predict who wakes up after severe brain injury
- Zapping the brain with gentle electricity may nudge unconscious patients toward awareness
- New italian tools could unlock communication and swallowing assessment in brain injury patients
- Can a smile reveal hidden consciousness? new study investigates
- Sound waves to wake the brain? new study tests ultrasound for consciousness disorders
- Could sound waves wake the brain? new trial tests ultrasound for severe injury