Responses to Tickling and Touch in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness Using Behavioral and Brain Monitoring Techniques

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating whether tickling can have a short-term effect on patients with Disorders of Consciousness DoC caused by Severe Acquired Brain Injury. The study compares responses to tickling with responses to neutral touch that does not cause tickling, aiming to understand patient responsiveness. This observational research includes behavioral and physiological monitoring to explore neural activity during these stimulations. During the experimental session, patients will undergo assessments using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised CRS-R and the Nociception Coma Scale-Revised NCS-R to ensure responses are not influenced by pain. Non-invasive brain monitoring with fNIRS and EEG via SedLine will be used. Patients will receive manual tickling and neutral touch on specified body areas in a randomized order, with recordings before, during, and after the stimulations. Participants will be monitored for facial expressions, vocalizations, body movements, and emotional changes during the session, which lasts about one hour and fifteen minutes. The study measures behavioral responses from video analysis, brain blood flow changes via fNIRS, and cortical EEG activity. These outcomes will help assess responsiveness in DoC patients, with careful safety monitoring throughout the single-session protocol.

Tickle Stimulation in Disorders of Consciousness (DoC)