Using emotional sounds to assess consciousness in critically ill patients

Emotional and Neutral Sounds for Neurophysiological Prognostic Assessment of Critically Ill Patients With a Disorder of Consciousness (DOC)

Observational Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris · NCT05740735

This study is testing if critically ill patients can show signs of awareness by measuring their brain responses to hearing their name spoken by someone they know compared to a stranger.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment114 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorAssistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris Academic / other
Locations2 sites (Paris, IDF and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT05740735 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study aims to evaluate the neurophysiological responses of critically ill patients with a disorder of consciousness by comparing their reactions to emotional sounds of their own name spoken by a familiar voice versus a non-familiar voice. It focuses on measuring event-related potentials (ERPs), specifically the P300 response, to determine the prognostic value of these responses in assessing patient outcomes. The study is conducted in intensive care units and involves patients who have experienced cardiac arrest, stroke, or head trauma. By utilizing advanced neurophysiological techniques, the research seeks to improve the accuracy of consciousness assessments in these patients.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include ICU patients with persistent disorders of consciousness following cardiac arrest, stroke, or head trauma.

Not a fit: Patients who are moribund, brain dead, or have known deafness will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could enhance the ability to predict recovery outcomes in critically ill patients with disorders of consciousness.

How similar studies have performed: While some studies have explored neurophysiological assessments in similar contexts, this specific approach using emotional sounds is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* patients hospitalized in ICU for cardiac arrest, stroke, subarachnoid haemorrhage or head trauma,
* persistent disorder of consciousness (DoC) 12 hours after sedation weaning or patient who has benefited from a prognostic assessment for persistent DoC and who has had in this assessment an evaluation by late PEA with MMN and P300 responses only to neutral sounds ("beep" and patient's first name pronounced by an unfamiliar voice) there is more than 6 months (since April 2022)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Moribund patient
* Uncontrolled Shock during the neurophysiological evaluation
* Sedated patient
* Minor patient
* brain death
* Known deafness
* Pregnant woman
* Prior inclusion in the study
* Patient not affiliated to a social security system
* Implementation of limitations and stop of active therapies
* Patient under legal protection
* Patient benefiting from State Medical Aid

Where this trial is running

Paris, IDF and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Disorder of ConsciousnessDisorder of consciousnessCardiac arrestComaIntensive care unitNeuro-prognosticationEvent related potentialElectroencephalogram
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.