Using Brain Measurements to Detect and Predict Recovery of Consciousness in Adults with Severe Brain Injury in the ICU

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the ability of transcranial magnetic stimulation-electroencephalography TMS-EEG to detect and predict recovery of consciousness in adults with disorders of consciousness caused by severe brain injury in the intensive care unit ICU. The study seeks to demonstrate how well TMS-EEG can identify conscious patients and predict their 6-month outcomes using the Disability Rating Scale DRS, while addressing the challenge of assessing consciousness in this critical setting. Participants will undergo repeated behavioral assessments, task-based electroencephalography EEG, and TMS-EEG while in the ICU. Optional brain magnetic resonance imaging MRI and task-based functional MRI may also be performed. The study follows patients for 6 months post-injury to monitor recovery and assess the prognostic value of TMS-EEG measurements. Throughout the study, researchers will perform repeated tests to evaluate consciousness levels using a combination of behavioral exams, EEG, and imaging. They will track brain complexity signals to compare with standard measures of consciousness and functional recovery after brain injury. Safety and data quality will be monitored, and participants progress will be measured at 48 hours post-TMS-EEG and again at 6 months using the Disability Rating Scale.

Measuring Brain Complexity to Detect and Predict Recovery of Consciousness in the ICU