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Effectiveness of tTIs for Improving Consciousness in Patients With DoC

NCT07539740 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 136

Last updated 2026-04-20

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a new type of brain stimulation called theta-burst patterned temporal interference stimulation (tTIs) works to improve awareness in people with disorders of consciousness (DoC). The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does tTIs help people with disorders of consciousness show more signs of awareness?
2. Does tTIs improve the brain's ability to process information and connect different brain areas? Is tTIs safe and easy for people with disorders of consciousness to tolerate? Researchers will compare a group receiving active tTIs to a group receiving a "sham" stimulation (a look-alike stimulation that delivers no real current) to see if the real stimulation works better.

Participants will:Receive either active tTIs or sham stimulation twice a day for 5 consecutive days (total of 10 sessions). Undergo brain activity tests (EEG) and physical exams to check their level of awareness before and after the 5 days of treatment. Have their progress followed by researchers through phone calls at 1, 3, and 6 months after the treatment ends.

Conditions

  • Disorders of Consciousness
  • Vegetative State
  • Minimally Conscious State

Interventions

DEVICE

Theta-burst Patterned Temporal Interference Stimulation (tTIs)

The intervention targets the CM-pf complex using two pairs of high-frequency electrodes. Carrier frequency f1 = 2 kHz and f2 = 2.1 kHz to generate a 100 Hz interference. The stimulation is delivered in theta-burst patterns (3-pulse bursts at 100 Hz, repeated at 5 Hz). Sessions last 30 minutes, administered twice daily for 5 consecutive days (totaling 10 sessions). Current intensity is 2 mA per channel.

DEVICE

Sham Temporal Interference Stimulation

The sham group uses the same device and electrode configuration as the active group. The device delivers 0 mA current after a 30-second ramp-up to mimic skin sensation. Sessions last 30 minutes, administered twice daily for 5 consecutive days (totaling 10 sessions).

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Zhujiang Hospital

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Qiuyou Xie · Zhujiang Hospital

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
70 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-03-08
Primary Completion
2027-12-31
Completion
2028-05-31

Countries

  • China

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07539740 on ClinicalTrials.gov