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Brain Networks and Consciousness
NCT04502550 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
General anesthesia (GA) is a medically induced state of unresponsiveness and unconsciousness, which millions of people experience every year. Despite its ubiquity, a clear and consistent picture of the brain circuits mediating consciousness and responsiveness has not emerged. Studies to date are limited by lack of direct recordings in human brain during medically induced anesthesia. Our overall hypothesis is that the current model of consciousness, originally proposed to model disorders and recovery of consciousness after brain injury, can be generalized to understand mechanisms of consciousness more broadly. This will be studied through three specific aims. The first is to evaluate the difference in anesthesia sensitivity in patients with and without underlying basal ganglia pathology. Second is to correlate changes in brain circuitry with induction and emergence from anesthesia. The third aim is to evaluate the effects of targeted deep brain stimulation on anesthesia induced loss and recovery of consciousness. This study focuses on experimentally studying these related brain circuits by taking advantage of pathological differences in movement disorder patient populations undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. DBS is a neurosurgical procedure that is used as treatment for movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and essential tremor, and provides a mechanism to acquire brain activity recordings in subcortical structures. This study will provide important insight by using human data to shed light on the generalizability of the current model of consciousness. The subject's surgery for DBS will be prolonged by up to 40 minutes in order to record the participant's brain activity and their responses to verbal and auditory stimuli.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- DRUG Propofol
Study Locations (1)
Texas
- Nader Pouratian — Dallas
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 63 participants |
| Start Date | 2020-10-15 |
| Est. Completion | 2024-11-14 |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT04502550
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT04502550 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as an unspecified phase, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 63 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, which has 742 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 4 conditions, with Parkinson Disease appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 1 intervention — of which Propofol is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT04502550 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Texas. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT04502550 about?
NCT04502550 is a clinical study titled "Brain Networks and Consciousness". General anesthesia (GA) is a medically induced state of unresponsiveness and unconsciousness, which millions of people experience every year. Despite its ubiquity, a clear and consistent picture of the brain circuits mediating consciousness and responsiveness has not emerged. Studies to date are lim...
What is the current status of trial NCT04502550?
This trial is currently completed. The enrollment target is 63 participants. The study started on 2020-10-15. Estimated completion is 2024-11-14.
What conditions does trial NCT04502550 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Parkinson Disease, Anesthesia, Essential Tremor, Loss of Consciousness. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT04502550?
The interventions under investigation include: Propofol (DRUG). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT04502550?
This trial is sponsored by University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, which has 742 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT04502550 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Texas. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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