Using brain signals to automate and personalize anesthesia
Non-Human Primate Model for Developing Closed-Loop Anesthesia Delivery Systems
A system that reads brain waves to automatically adjust anesthesia so surgical and ICU patients stay at the right level of unconsciousness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11323996 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will record EEG brain signals in a non-human primate model while delivering anesthetic drugs to teach AI algorithms how different brain patterns map to levels of unconsciousness. They will combine real-time EEG processing with control-theory algorithms and infusion pumps to create a closed-loop system that automatically adjusts anesthetic dosing. The team will test the system's reliability, responsiveness, and safety in the primate model before moving toward human testing. The work focuses on reducing brain dysfunction after prolonged anesthesia or ICU sedation by keeping patients at a steady, appropriate depth of unconsciousness.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This approach is most relevant to people undergoing general anesthesia for surgery and patients who require prolonged sedation in the ICU, especially older adults.
Not a fit: People who only receive local or regional anesthesia, or whose baseline brain activity is severely altered by preexisting neurological conditions, are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make anesthesia safer and more precise, lowering the risk of postoperative or post-ICU brain problems and tailoring dosing to each patient.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work and monitoring technologies show EEG can track anesthesia depth and some pilot closed-loop systems are promising, but fully autonomous closed-loop anesthesia remains largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brown, Emery N — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Brown, Emery N
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.