Effectiveness of Music Therapy on Level of Consciousness

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Neurologic Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, Disorder of Consciousness

In brief

It is known that even in patients with severe disorders of consciousness (DOC), the perception of known stimuli triggers emotional reactions that can be interpreted as an expression of a residual function of consciousness. Music therapy has a long tradition in neurological rehabilitation. Frequently, active therapies with own music making and singing are implemented in clinical settings. In DOC patients, it is more likely to use passive music listening. However, findings on effectiveness are limited, as only a few studies have systematically investigated the effects of music therapy in this population. Therefore, the investigators want to investigate the effectiveness of passive listening to preferred music on the level of consciousness.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT04442971

Run by

BDH-Klinik Hessisch Oldendorf

People needed

66

Starts

2020-06-15

Expected to finish

2026-12-15

Last updated by the study team

2025-09-19

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 85. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• early neurological rehabilitation (phase B)
• traumatic brain injury
• disorder of consciousness (coma, UWS, MCS)
• at minimum two weeks after disease onset
• admission to intensive care unit
• written consent from the patient's legal representative
• Exclusion of pregnancy

You may not qualify if…

• insufficient cardiorespiratory stability
• fractures or severe infratentorial brain injuries leading to impaired auditory evoked potentials
• previous brain damage
• Known mental disorders (dementia, depression)
• hearing loss or deafness in one or two ears
• wounds that do not allow you to wear headphones
• colonization with multi-resistant pathogens
• MRI contraindications
• claustrophobia
• weight>120 kg

Where it is running

• BDH-Clinic Hessisch Oldendorf — Hessisch Oldendorf, Germany (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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