Sensory Stimulation Program Delivered by Family Members of Brain-injured Patients in Critical Care: Effect on Relatives' Post-traumatic Stress
Starting soon · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Stress Disorder, Post-traumatic
In brief
Severe traumatic brain injuries are common and can lead to major long-term disability. Patients with severe brain injury often require admission to critical care. For relatives, this period is highly distressing: during and after an ICU stay, family members frequently experience anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. In recent years, family involvement in critical care has been associated with better communication with the healthcare team and fewer psychological difficulties among relatives. In parallel, findings from neuroscience suggest that early multisensory stimulation (engaging the five senses) may help support brain recovery by promoting neuronal connections during the awakening phase. This study evaluates whether a standardized neurosensory stimulation program, delivered by trained relatives of brain-injured patients hospitalized in critical care, can reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms in those relatives. We hypothesize that involving relatives in a structured, supervised multisensory stimulation protocol during the patient's awakening phase (before transfer to rehabilitation) will decrease relatives' post-traumatic stress symptoms at 3 months after critical care discharge (or after the patient's death). We also expect potential secondary benefits on patients' awakening and recovery trajectory.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT07456384
- Run by
- CHU de Reims
- People needed
- 200
- Starts
- 2026-05-01
- Expected to finish
- 2029-05-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2026-03-06
Who can join
Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Age ≥ 18 years
- Relative (family member or close person) of an eligible brain-injured patient hospitalized in critical care
- Able and willing to provide informed consent to participate.
- Available to attend at least three visits during the patient's critical care hospitalization.
- French-speaking (sufficient proficiency to understand study information and complete questionnaires).
You may not qualify if…
- Non-French-speaking or insufficient French proficiency to complete study procedures/questionnaires.
- Insufficient understanding/comprehension of the study procedures, as assessed during the initial interview after explanations by the study nurse.
Where it is running
- Marie MULLER — Reims, France
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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