Brain signals to detect awareness and enable communication in consciousness disorders

This research uses a technology called brain-computer interfacing (BCI) to detect awareness in people who have severe consciousness disorders—conditions where patients may seem unaware but might have some level of consciousness that standard clinical tests miss. The study has two parts: first, researchers will use special EEG headsets to measure brain activity and look for signs of awareness; second, those who show brain activity will get training to see if they can learn to communicate simple yes-or-no answers using only their brain signals, without needing to move.

Many patients with severe consciousness disorders—from strokes, injuries, or diseases like motor neuron disease—may have hidden awareness that doctors cannot detect with standard bedside tests. This trial exists to see whether brain-based technology can reveal that hidden awareness and potentially give people a new way to communicate when they cannot move or speak.