EEG Based Awareness Detection and Communication in Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness and Physical Disability

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the use of EEG-based Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology to detect awareness and enable communication in people with prolonged disorders of consciousness (DoC), such as unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS), minimally conscious state (MCS), and locked-in syndrome (LIS). The study aims to improve diagnosis accuracy where traditional methods relying on motor responses may fail, and to explore if BCI can provide movement-independent communication. The trial also investigates whether training with BCI can enhance brain response consistency and communication ability. Participants undergo three phases: Phase I assesses if patients can imagine movements and produce detectable brain activity using EEG. Phase II involves training with motor imagery BCI and real-time auditory feedback to help participants modulate brain signals. Phase III tests participants' ability to answer yes-no questions using imagined movement patterns. The study uses specific imagined movement combinations to represent 'yes' or 'no' responses, tailored individually and applied throughout sessions lasting about 1.5 hours each. During the study, participants complete up to 10 sessions including assessments, training, and communication tasks. Researchers monitor changes in BCI performance accuracy, ability to communicate consistently, and clinical scale scores related to consciousness and recovery. The study evaluates how feedback types and timing affect performance and collects data to support clinical diagnosis and potential therapeutic benefits. Participation involves EEG recordings, neurofeedback, and answering structured questions over several weeks.

Awareness Detection and Communication in Disorders of Consciousness