Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Interventional Ages 18 and up

Breathing techniques to prevent seizure-related breathing failure

Official title: Breathing Rescue for SUDEP Prevention (BreatheS)

Run by The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston · NCT05981755 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing breathing techniques to see if they can help people with hard-to-treat epilepsy breathe better during seizures.

Quick facts

Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment100 (estimated)
SponsorThe University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
Academic / other
Locations1 site (Houston, Texas)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJuly 31, 2023
Main results expectedJune 30, 2028
Study endsJune 30, 2028
Registry record updatedJune 18, 2025
Trial IDNCT05981755 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are individuals diagnosed with intractable focal epilepsy who are admitted for invasive video-EEG monitoring.

Probably not a fit

Patients with respiratory, cardiac, or cerebrovascular diseases, as well as pregnant individuals and prisoners, may not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This study aims to identify and map the brain networks involved in regulating respiration to prevent breathing failure during seizures in patients with intractable focal epilepsy. Participants will undergo brain mapping and stimulation techniques while performing specific breathing tasks. The goal is to pinpoint the brain areas that can be targeted for stimulation to enhance respiratory function during seizures.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly reduce the risk of seizure-induced breathing failure in patients with focal epilepsy.

How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of this study is novel, similar studies exploring brain stimulation for seizure management have shown promising results.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* diagnosis of intractable focal epilepsy
* admitted to the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center for intracranial subdural strips, grids, or depth electrode placement study (invasive video-EEG)

Exclusion Criteria:

* respiratory, cardiac or cerebrovascular disease
* pregnancy
* prisoners

Where it's running

  • The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
    Houston, Texas, United States
    Recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Nuria L Lecumberri, MD,PhD — The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
  • Study coordinator: Nuria L Lecumberri, MD,PhD
  • Email: Nuria.Lacuey@uth.tmc.edu
  • Phone: 713-500-7785

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

  • High-density flexible microneuroelectrode mapping to guide epilepsy surgery

    This study tests whether using high-density flexible microelectrocorticography during surgery helps guide the resection of the epileptogenic zone in people with drug-resistant focal epilepsy.

    Recruiting Beijing Tiantan Hospital · Beijing, Beijing Municipality · NCT07656857

  • RAP-219 for adults with focal seizures

    This study tests whether RAP-219 can reduce how often focal seizures happen in adults with focal epilepsy, compared with a placebo.

    Recruiting at 14 sites Phase 3 Rapport Therapeutics Inc. · Huntsville, Alabama and 13 other locations · NCT07594119

  • Spatial scene memory testing for people with temporal lobe epilepsy having surgery

    This project tests whether a virtual tour memory task combined with brain recordings can show how adults with temporal lobe epilepsy recognize and recall places.

    Recruiting at 2 sites University of California, Davis · Sacramento, California and 1 other locations · NCT07580183

  • RAP-219 in adults with focal seizures

    This study tests whether RAP-219 can safely reduce the number of focal seizures in adults with focal epilepsy compared with placebo.

    Recruiting at 24 sites Phase 3 Rapport Therapeutics Inc. · Birmingham, Alabama and 23 other locations · NCT07563881

  • Probenecid for cluster seizures during presurgical epilepsy monitoring

    This trial tests whether probenecid can help control clusters of seizures in people with focal epilepsy during presurgical video-EEG monitoring.

    Recruiting Phase 2 Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de Rothschild · Paris and 1 other locations · NCT07318870

  • Long-term daily CB03-154 treatment for focal epilepsy

    This extension will try once-daily CB03-154 (up to 20 mg) in people with focal epilepsy who completed the prior Phase 2 study to see if it is safe, tolerated, and helps control seizures over up to two years.

    Recruiting Phase 2 Shanghai Zhimeng Biopharma, Inc. · Melbourne, Victoria · NCT07238868

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.