An observational study in Terminal Illness, End-of-Life Care and Death, sponsored by Noah Tech, Corp.. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-17.
Sponsored by Noah Tech, Corp. · Observational
Background: Recent electroencephalography (EEG) data indicate that the transition from clinical death to cellular death is marked by highly organized neurophysiological events, including significant surges in gamma-band power, cross-frequency coupling, and distinct spreading depolarization waves. This prospective, observational feasibility study utilizes rapid-deployment, high-density, noninvasive BCI hardware paired with proprietary AI analytics to detect, classify, and securely archive these terminal neurocognitive signals.
Objectives: (1) Quantify transient gamma-band activity and cross-frequency connectivity post-clinical death; (2) Validate the efficacy of machine learning models for real-time signal classification in high-noise clinical environments; (3) Establish a highly secure, encrypted bio-informational archive of peri-life EEG data.
Design: Prospective, open-label, multicenter, observational cohort (n>20).
This prospective observational feasibility study will use non-invasive high-density EEG combined with a wireless brain-computer interface (BCI) and artificial intelligence analytics to detect, characterize, and archive neurocognitive signals in adult patients during the peri-death period. The study includes individuals with terminal illness or severe acute trauma who have a do-not-resuscitate (DNR/DNI) order. Building on recent human findings of gamma oscillation surges and cross-frequency coupling (Vicente et al., 2022; Xu et al., 2023), the study aims to quantify these signals, test AI-driven real-time classification, and explore technical feasibility for future signal preservation and continuity research. No therapeutic intervention is performed. All monitoring is conducted with surrogate consent under strict ethical oversight.
74 studies on the registry are indexed under Brain Death; 10 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 20 is below the median of 80 across 33 observational studies indexed under Brain Death.
Browse Brain Death studies →Noah Tech, Corp. is the lead sponsor of 2 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.
Compared within Brain Death, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is Death. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →
Adults (≥18 years) with terminal illness or severe acute trauma who have a do-not-resuscitate (DNR/DNI) order and for whom a legally authorized surrogate has provided informed consent. Participants are recruited from hospice, palliative care units, and intensive care units at three U.S. academic medical centers. The study focuses on individuals with physician-estimated survival of 7 days or less. All participants receive continuous non-invasive EEG/BCI monitoring during the peri-death period.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Adults (≥18 years) with terminal illness or severe acute trauma who have a do-not-resuscitate (DNR/DNI) order and for whom surrogate informed consent has been obtained. Participants undergo continuous non-invasive high-density EEG monitoring using a wireless brain-computer interface (BCI) headset. Monitoring begins prior to expected clinical death and continues for up to 6 hours after cardiac arrest. This single prospective cohort is followed to characterize neurocognitive signals during the transition from clinical death through brain death to cellular death. No study intervention is administered.
Detection of Neurocognitive Signals After Clinical Death Prior to Brain Death
Presence or absence of organized neurocognitive signals and measurable brain activity, as recorded by non-invasive high-density electroencephalography (EEG), in the human brain during the period immediately following clinical death (cessation of circulation) but prior to declaration of brain death. The primary outcome will be reported as the proportion of participants with detectable organized neural activity (yes/no) meeting predefined signal thresholds.
Time frame: 0-120 minutes after clinical death
Successful Capture and Preservation of Neurocognitive Signals
Proportion of participants for whom real-time neurocognitive signals were successfully captured, recorded in high quality, and securely preserved for long-term storage using non-invasive high-density EEG and wireless brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. Reported as the number and percentage of participants with complete, artifact-free recordings suitable for analysis.
Time frame: Up to 24 hours after clinical death
Spectral Power of Neurocognitive Signals
Quantitative analysis of spectral power of captured neurocognitive signals, measured in microvolts squared per hertz (µV²/Hz), across standard EEG frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma).
Time frame: Up to 24 hours after clinical death
Functional Connectivity Patterns
Quantitative analysis of functional connectivity patterns among brain regions, measured using coherence and phase-locking value (PLV) indices, reported on a scale from 0 (no connectivity) to 1 (perfect connectivity).
Time frame: Up to 24 hours after clinical death
Cross-Frequency Coupling
Quantitative analysis of cross-frequency coupling between EEG frequency bands, measured using the modulation index (MI), reported as a unitless value ranging from 0 (no coupling) to 1 (maximum coupling).
Time frame: Up to 24 hours after clinical death
Temporal Dynamics of Neurocognitive Signals
Quantitative analysis of the temporal dynamics of neurocognitive signals, including signal duration and onset latency, measured in seconds (s) from the time of clinical death.
Time frame: Up to 24 hours after clinical death
Informational Content of Neurocognitive Signals
Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the potential informational content of captured neurocognitive signals, measured using permutation entropy, reported as a unitless value on a scale from 0 (completely regular/predictable) to 1 (completely random).
Time frame: Up to 24 hours after clinical death
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified raw EEG data, AI-processed neurocognitive signal files, and limited demographic information will be made available to qualified researchers upon reasonable request. Data will be shared via a secure, public repository (e.g., Zenodo or NIH-compliant platform) to support future research on consciousness and neurocognitive activity in the peri-death period.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan, Informed consent form
Time frame: Data will become available beginning 12 months after the primary completion date and will remain available for a period of 5 years.
Access criteria: Qualified scientific researchers with an IRB-approved research proposal and relevant scientific background. All requests will be reviewed and approved by the study sponsor (NoahTech Corp.) and the responsible IRB. Access will be granted through a secure data-sharing platform after execution of a data use agreement.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Mar 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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