Evaluation of the Analgesic Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Sedated … (NCT06179199) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
Evaluation of the Analgesic Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Sedated Patients in Intensive Care Unit.
France40 participantsStarted 2026-01
Plain-language summary
Pain management for sedated ICU patients is complex, partly because of the difficulty of assessing pain in non-communicative patients, and partly because of the side effects associated with excessive use of morphine.
In this context, the use of another non-pharmacological approach, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), could be of interest. With tDCS, neuronal activity is modulated by inducing a weak electric current through the cerebral cortex between two electrodes applied to the surface of the scalp. Although the mechanisms of action of tDCS are not yet fully understood, the medium-term effects are thought to be linked to the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, glutamate-activated receptors involved in cellular memory. The use of tDCS as an analgesic therapy for chronic pain has produced encouraging results in patients suffering from fibromyalgia, migraine and central pain following spinal cord injury, Its use in sedated intensive care patients is unknown. To assess the possible analgesic effect of tDCS in these patients, we will use quantitative pupillometry, a technique already used in routine intensive care, to quantify nociception during a standardized nociceptive simulation.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 80 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Age from 18 to 80 years,
* Sedated patient requiring mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours with administration of morphine.
* Person affiliated to the social security system or beneficiary of an assimilated regime.
* RASS ≤ -2
* Close consent or emergency inclusion
Exclusion Criteria:
* History of epilepsy.
* Severe brain injury (head trauma, stroke, neuromeningeal infection, status epilepticus).
* Presence of intracranial ferromagnetic material.
* Presence of electronic stimulators or implants (e.g. pacemaker, spinal cord or intracranial stimulator).
* Facial trauma preventing eye opening.
* Patients who are blind and/or have eye damage.
* Protected persons: pregnant women, parturients, nursing mothers, persons deprived of their liberty by judicial or administrative decision, persons under legal protection.
* Subjects excluded from another study.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.