Do common ICU actions trigger damaging brain waves after a large stroke?
Clinical Stimulation and Spreading Depolarization
This will monitor people who have had a large stroke and surgery to see if routine ICU care or drops in blood pressure cause harmful spreading depolarizations in the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11194470 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have a large hemispheric stroke and require decompressive hemicraniectomy, surgeons will place subdural electrodes and tissue-oxygen probes near the injured area to record brain activity. The team will use electrocorticography and long-term video-EEG to watch for spreading depolarizations during routine stimulations, movement, or physiologic events like hypotension. Researchers will link the timing of these events to care actions and physiologic fluctuations to understand what might trigger harmful brain waves. Findings will be used to inform safer ICU practices for patients with severe stroke.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with large hemispheric ischemic stroke who require decompressive hemicraniectomy and can have subdural electrode and tissue-oxygen probe placement are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People with smaller strokes, who do not need hemicraniectomy, or who cannot undergo electrode placement would not be eligible and would not directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify common ICU actions that provoke damaging brain activity so clinicians can change care to reduce secondary brain injury and improve recovery.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical mouse studies and early human data suggest stimulation and physiological insults can trigger spreading depolarizations, but direct continuous human monitoring in this surgical population remains limited.
Where this research is happening
Charlottesville, United States
- University of Virginia — Charlottesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Carlson, Andrew Phillip — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Carlson, Andrew Phillip
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.