Music Therapy for Comatose Brain Injured Patients

This single-arm observational study will include trauma patients with severe traumatic brain injury admitted to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Individual participation will last for 7 days (14 sessions) or until ICU discharge, whichever occurs first. The investigation is expected to last approximately 2 years (2026-2028) to accrue approximately 20 participants. Alpha-music therapy (AMT) will be played via headphones for 30 minutes twice each day for 7 study days (14 sessions) unless discharged from the ICU earlier. Patient monitoring will be performed before, during, and after AMT sessions.

Inclusion criteria

• blunt trauma
• computed tomography confirmed intracranial hemorrhage
• Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score 3-8 for 48+ hours postinjury
• mechanical ventilation
• age ≥18 years
• expected intensive care unit stay ≥72 hours
• approach family on hospital day 3 for consent; start study on hospital day 3 or 4 if consent given

Exclusion criteria

• GCS score >8 when considering candidacy
• imminent extubation without tracheostomy
• pregnancy or recent birth
• hospice care
• penetrating trauma
• bilateral fixed pupils
• cancer, advanced liver disease, end-stage renal disease, autoimmune disorder, prior brain disorder
• non-survivable injury
• other reasons in the opinion of the investigator or attending trauma physician