NCT05234866 · RECRUITING
Paradoxical Lucidity in Severe End-Stage Dementia
This study is observational, not a drug or device trial. Researchers want to understand paradoxical lucidity — those surprising moments when someone with severe, end-stage dementia suddenly seems mentally clear. The team is building a definition, a measurement scale, and looking at brainwave patterns using video EEG during these episodes. Details on phase and design are limited, but this is early foundational research, not a treatment being tested.
You may qualify if
- Age > 18 years
- Advanced (severe) dementia diagnosed using the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) with a score of 7 or the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) with a score of less than 30%
- Accepted for hospice care based on the Medicare eligibility guidelines
- No longer being provided with nutrition or fluids
- Anuria (dry diaper) or less than 200cc urine (almost dry diaper) in any 24-hour period
You're excluded if
- Cognitive or functional impairment due to a diagnosis other than dementia
- Dementia with a GDS score \<7 (mild, moderate, moderately severe dementia). Please refer to rationale outlined for inclusion criteria 2.
The sponsor's own eligibility wording, lightly reformatted. The study team makes the final eligibility decision — worth discussing with your doctor.
Eligibility criteria as of 2025-08-14