How the brain causes losing and regaining consciousness
Mechanisms of Loss, Recovery and Disorders of Consciousness
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · NIH-11323081
This work looks at brain signals from people having epilepsy surgery to find patterns that explain losing and regaining consciousness across sleep, anesthesia, and awake states.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (MADISON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11323081 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If I take part, doctors will record electrical activity directly from my brain using electrodes placed as part of neurosurgical care. They will compare brain responses during wakefulness, drowsiness, dreaming, and under anesthesia, and may use brief sounds or gentle electrical stimulation while recording. Researchers will use computer analyses to look for signal patterns and connections between brain areas that match changes in awareness. The goal is to find reliable brain markers that show when someone is conscious or not, and how recovery happens over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults undergoing intracranial monitoring for epilepsy surgery or patients treated at specialized centers who can safely have brain recordings during clinical care.
Not a fit: People who are not having brain surgery, who cannot undergo invasive monitoring, or whose condition does not affect arousal/awareness are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help clinicians detect and monitor awareness more accurately and guide treatments for people with anesthesia complications, coma, or other disorders of consciousness.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has found promising brain-signal markers during anesthesia and sleep, but applying and validating these markers for disorders of consciousness is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
MADISON, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON — MADISON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: BANKS, MATTHEW I — UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- Study coordinator: BANKS, MATTHEW I
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.
Conditions: Acute Disease