CompletedNot Applicable

Spontaneous Eye Blinking Evaluation for Cognitive Assessment of Individuals With Severe Acquired Brain Injury

Italy44 participantsStarted 2025-01-13

Plain-language summary

Assessment of consciousness and attention in individuals with severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI) is crucial for planning rehabilitation, but it is often hindered by coexisting sensory-motor and/or cognitive-behavioural disorders. This project aims at evaluating the value of spontaneous eye blinking features to assess patients' attentional abilities and to distinguish patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) from those in minimally conscious state (MCS). Patients will undergo an EEG-EOG recording at rest and during an auditory oddball task. Eye blinking features on EOG will be analysed and compared to that of healthy individuals. A machine-learning-based algorithm using blinking features for the diagnosis of patients with sABI will be studied and validated preliminarily. This project will help to stratify patients with sABI using easy-to-detect clinical markers, supporting clinicians' decision-making about patient's management. Additionally, blinking patterns related to residual attentional abilities in patients emerged from disorders of consciousness will be investigated.

Who can participate

Age range

18 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: * diagnosis of severe acquired brain injury; * age≥18 years; * time post-injury≥28 days * written informed consent by patient or, where necessary, by primary caregiver Exclusion criteria will be: * large craniectomy interfering with EEG recording; * unstable clinical conditions; * presence of ophthalmic disorders, or central or peripheral impairments in eyelid motility on clinical evaluation; * administration of sedative medication in the previous 24h; * previous history of neurological or psychiatric diseases

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?

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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.

What they're measuring

Coma Recovery Scale-Revised

Timeframe: Within 2 weeks from study entry

Levels of Cognitive Functioning

Timeframe: Within 2 weeks from study entry

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06464549

SponsorAlfonso Magliacano

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2025-11-10

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Disorders of Consciousness trials