AgingNCT06124339
Brain Health Virtual Reality Study
A study testing Physical Activity, Cognitive Activity (VR) and Physical and Cognitive Activity in people with Aging and Aging Problems, run by University of California, San Diego at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The Interventions for Brain Health Virtual Reality Study is a NIH-funded clinical research trial at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Health under the supervision of the study principal investigator Dr. Judy Pa. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 50 to 85 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Aging, Aging Problems, Memory Loss
- What is being tested?
- Physical Activity, Cognitive Activity (VR) and Physical and Cognitive Activity
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 150 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 8 Aug 2023to 1 Feb 2029
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 50 to 85 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 50-85 years of age
- Fluent in English
- Can safely ride a stationary bike
Who cannot join
- Dementia
- History of a neurological disorder
- Severe sensory deficits
- Inability to perform intervention (e.g., inability to cycle safely)
- Contraindications to MRI scan (e.g., pacemaker)
- Fear of needles/ blood
- Prior history of fainting due to sight of needles of blood
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of California, San Diego
San Diego, California, 92122
About this study
Official title: Interventions to Promote Brain Health Virtual Reality Study
The Interventions for Brain Health Virtual Reality Study is a NIH-funded clinical research trial at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Health under the supervision of the study principal investigator Dr. Judy Pa. The overarching goal of this trial is to use a novel virtual reality (VR) based intervention that simultaneously engages physical and cognitive activity aimed at improving brain health and cognition in older adults. The investigators will compare 3 types of interventions: physical activity, VR cognitive activity, and combined VR physical and cognitive activity over 16 weeks to evaluate physical and brain health changes.
- Conditions
- Aging, Aging Problems, Memory Loss, Memory Impairment, Memory Disorders in Old Age, Memory Disorder, Spatial
- Being tested
- Physical Activity, Cognitive Activity (VR), Physical and Cognitive Activity
- Keywords
- Virtual Reality, technology, intervention, exercise, cycling, memory, brain health, aging
- Medical subject headings
- Memory Disorders, Cognitive Dysfunction, Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Physical ActivityBehavioural
There will be three sessions a week over the course of 16 weeks.
Cognitive Activity (VR)Behavioural
There will be three sessions a week over the course of 16 weeks.
Physical and Cognitive ActivityBehavioural
There will be three sessions a week over the course of 16 weeks.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive activity - VR spatial navigation only | Active comparator | VR spatial navigation program will consist of a spatial navigation program that increases difficulty and length per trial over time. Spatial navigation is the ability to navigate between multiple elements/landmarks widely used in computer games. A trial is a test of performance or quality of someone or something. Receives: Behavioral: Cognitive Activity (VR) |
| Physical activity - Cycling only | Active comparator | The physical activity program will consist of a stationary bike cycling program. Each day will consist of a cycling program of varying levels of difficulty for 20-50 minutes. Receives: Behavioral: Physical Activity |
| Combined, simultaneous physical and cognitive activity | Experimental | The combined physical and cognitive activity VR program will consist of a spatial navigation program that increases difficulty and length per trial over time. Receives: Behavioral: Physical and Cognitive Activity |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
MST memory performance
With the study's primary focus on hippocampal function, we will use the Mnemonic Separation Task (MST), a hippocampus-dependent discrimination test of similar objects, as our primary cognitive outcome. The MST is a memory task designed to heavily tax memory processes for making fine discriminations between highly similar objects or unrelated objects.
Measured: 16 Weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Nov 2023
- Study start8 Aug 2023
- Primary completion8 Aug 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Feb 2029 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for AgingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, San Diego
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Judy Pa, University of California, San Diego
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06124339
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 803273
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 3 Nov 2023
- Last updated
- 15 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 15 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Interventions to Promote Brain Health Virtual Reality Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06124339
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 803273
- Conditions
- Aging, Aging Problems, Memory Loss, Memory Impairment, Memory Disorders in Old Age, Memory Disorder, Spatial
- Keywords
- Virtual Reality, technology, intervention, exercise, cycling, memory, brain health, aging
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, San DiegoUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 8 Aug 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 8 Aug 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Feb 2029 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Nov 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The Interventions for Brain Health Virtual Reality Study is a NIH-funded clinical research trial at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Health under the supervision of the study principal investigator Dr. Judy Pa. The overarching goal of this trial is to use a novel virtual reality (VR) based intervention that simultaneously engages physical and cognitive activity aimed at improving brain health and cognition in older adults. The investigators will compare 3 types of interventions: physical activity, VR cognitive activity, and combined VR physical and cognitive activity over 16 weeks to evaluate physical and brain health changes.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive activity - VR spatial navigation only | Active comparator | Behavioral: Cognitive Activity (VR)VR spatial navigation program will consist of a spatial navigation program that increases difficulty and length per trial over time. Spatial navigation is the ability to navigate between multiple elements/landmarks widely used in computer games. A trial is a test of performance or quality of someone or something. |
| Physical activity - Cycling only | Active comparator | Behavioral: Physical ActivityThe physical activity program will consist of a stationary bike cycling program. Each day will consist of a cycling program of varying levels of difficulty for 20-50 minutes. |
| Combined, simultaneous physical and cognitive activity | Experimental | Behavioral: Physical and Cognitive ActivityThe combined physical and cognitive activity VR program will consist of a spatial navigation program that increases difficulty and length per trial over time. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 50 to 85 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- 50-85 years of age
- Fluent in English
- Can safely ride a stationary bike
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Dementia
- History of a neurological disorder
- Severe sensory deficits
- Inability to perform intervention (e.g., inability to cycle safely)
- Contraindications to MRI scan (e.g., pacemaker)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Physical ActivityThere will be three sessions a week over the course of 16 weeks. | Behavioural | Physical activity - Cycling only |
| Cognitive Activity (VR)There will be three sessions a week over the course of 16 weeks. | Behavioural | Cognitive activity - VR spatial navigation only |
| Physical and Cognitive ActivityThere will be three sessions a week over the course of 16 weeks. | Behavioural | Combined, simultaneous physical and cognitive activity |
Primary outcome
MST memory performance
Time frame: 16 Weeks
With the study's primary focus on hippocampal function, we will use the Mnemonic Separation Task (MST), a hippocampus-dependent discrimination test of similar objects, as our primary cognitive outcome. The MST is a memory task designed to heavily tax memory processes for making fine discriminations between highly similar objects or unrelated objects.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 15 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Physical Activity, Cognitive Activity (VR) and Physical and Cognitive Activity in people with Aging and Aging Problems, run by University of California, San Diego at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
MST memory performance (time frame: 16 Weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 Jul 2026.