Efficacy of Multisensory Stimulation on Recovery of Consciousness in Patients with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Objectives Severe traumatic brain injury frequently results in prolonged disorders of consciousness, and multisensory stimulation has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach to enhance arousal and recovery. This study evaluated the effectiveness of structured MSS regimens in improving neurological outcomes in adults with severe TBI using standardised neurobehavioral scales. Methods This is a single centre cohort study that evaluated the efficacy of different types of Multisensory Stimulation on Adults (≥ 18 years) with severe TBI and radiologically confirmed traumatic brain pathology were included. Participants underwent baseline evaluation using the Coma Recovery Scale–Revised, Glasgow Coma Scale, and Disability Rating Scale. Eligible patients were assigned to one of three predetermined MSS regimens involving combinations of auditory, tactile, visual, olfactory, gustatory, proprioceptive, and vibration stimuli administered over 14 days. Continuous monitoring ensured physiological stability throughout intervention sessions. Post-intervention assessments were conducted using CRS-R, GCS, and DRS, and change scores were computed. Data were compiled into a structured database, and cases with incomplete outcomes were excluded from the final analysis. Results Among 320 severe TBI patients, the mean contusion volume was 22.47 mL, and MSS led to improved CRS-R (+ 5.20), GCS (+ 6.61), and DRS (+ 3.13) scores. Larger contusions predicted longer ICU/hospital stay and poorer recovery. ROC analysis indicated a 29–30 mL mortality threshold. The High-Intensity Structured Multimodal Regimen produced the greatest improvement across all outcomes (P < 0.01). The results showed that larger contusion volumes were strongly associated with elevated baseline heart rate, delayed stimulation initiation and prolonged ICU and hospital stay, with all correlations reaching P < 0.01. Improvements in CRS-R and GCS were inversely related to contusion volume (P ≈ 0.02–0.04), while CRS-R and GCS demonstrated a strong internal correlation (r=.790, P < 0.01). Post hoc comparisons confirmed significantly greater score improvements with the high-intensity regimen across all outcomes (P < 0.01). Conclusion The study has concluded that high-intensity regimen yielding the most favourable outcomes. Clinical and radiological parameters, particularly contusion volume and physiological stability, were shown to influence both responsiveness to stimulation and overall recovery potential.