Mild Cognitive ImpairmentNCT07596940
A Health Game Intervention for Cancer and Post-ICU Patients Suffering From Acute Cognitive Impairment
A study testing VR cognitive training platform in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment, run by University of Cincinnati at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Millions of patients each year suffer from acute cognitive impairment caused by traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc. Despite increasing incidences and morbidity, effective pharmacological interventions continue to show a lack of improvement for brain cancer patients. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- What is being tested?
- VR cognitive training platform
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 9 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 3 Jul 2023to 10 Jun 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Inclusion criteria of our study are as follows: (1) age 18 years or older, (2) English speaking, (3) Completion of all chemo and radiation therapy and surgical procedures, (4) physical, cognitively, and emotionally able to wear the VR game headset or seat with personal computer flat screen, (5) able to provide consent or through a legally authorized representative, (6) available to play the game three times per week for four consecutive weeks, either in the outpatient clinics or in a location near their home, with the support to provide them transportation to either location and (7) own a cell phone by which they can be reached to make arrangement for testing. Race and gender are not conditions for inclusion in this pilot study.
Who cannot join
- Patients are excluded from our study if any of the following conditions are present: (1) history of mental illnesses and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or any other form of advanced neurodegenerative or neuro-cognitive diseases, (2) severe psychiatric illness which is not well controlled, (3) suspected or confirmed drug intoxication/overdose; (5) acute neurologic injury such as traumatic brain injury, ischemic or hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accident, or undergoing neurosurgery, (6) uncorrected hearing or vision impairment including legal blindness, (7) incarcerated at the time of study enrollment, (8) enrolled in another clinical trial which does not permit co-enrollment, or (9) any medical condition precluding safe use of VR headset and hand control technology or physical use of personal computer flat screen and touch pads.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Markey Cancer Center, Neuro Oncology Outpatient Clinic
Lexington, Kentucky, 40536-0093
About this study
Official title: A Health Game Intervention for Cancer and Post-ICU Patients Suffering From Acute Cognitive Impairment: A Clinical Study to Assess a New Form of Brain Stimulation Therapy With the Potential to Improve Synaptic Plasticity
Millions of patients each year suffer from acute cognitive impairment caused by traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc. Despite increasing incidences and morbidity, effective pharmacological interventions continue to show a lack of improvement for brain cancer patients. Studies thus far have shown that non-pharmacological interventions have contributed to early success in addressing some forms of cognitive impairment for patients with cognitive dysfunction. We have built a phase-one fully functioning game Hometown Bound that offers cognitive challenges to patients. The aim of this study is to observe for measured improvement of cognitive function among brain cancer patients, which will be validated by the four cognitive scales, measuring efficacy. The first three scales measure patient baseline impairment before and after game play.
Read the detailed description
After the completion of a usability study, a two-arm, randomized parallel-group efficacy pilot study will be executed with adult brain cancer patients to estimate cognitive improvements using 3 cognitive assessment measures. Arms will include an experimental group (intervention) and the non-gameplay attention group (control).
Experimental group: estimate approximately 10 hours of game play (over 4 weeks) and 1-2 hours of cognitive survey testing will be needed
Control group: It is estimated approximately 10 hours of Word-Search and Crossword Puzzle play (over 4 weeks) and 1-2 hours of cognitive survey testing will be needed.
Patient total duration of the intervention will be four weeks (3X per week) starting approximately one to two weeks after the conclusion of all cancer treatment (chemo and radiation therapy). Depending on the patients' ability/comfort level, we will determine if they are able to use the VR headset and hand controls.
The 3 cognitive scales:
- Hopkins Verbal Learning and Memory test
- Controlled Oral Word Association test (verbal fluency/exec. functions)
- Trail Making test (processing speed, executive function, visual perception)
- Conditions
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Being tested
- VR cognitive training platform
- Medical subject headings
- Cognitive Dysfunction
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
VR cognitive training platformDevice
See description above.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| VR cognitive training platform | Experimental | The virtual reality cognitive training platform is specifically designed for mild cognitive impairment populations. The system, referred to as: Virtual Reality-Cognitive Rehabilitation Training (VR-CRT) offers advantages over traditional computerized cognitive training programs due to its immersive virtual reality environment with 81 embedded attention exercises. VR-CRT is a scenario goal-driven (game) framework that rewards patients with points and feedback at the end of each module to promote engagement and incentivize use. Automated (backend) game score tracking encourages aspirational behavior and goal setting with each module completion. VR-CRT was designed with three interconnecting virtual reality environments/levels, each with their own (progressively demanding) attention exercises, along with the ability for new training module integration, i.e., plug-ins to maintain game novelty and challenge. Receives: Device: VR cognitive training platform |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Hopkins Verbal Learning and Memory test
The test consists of a 12-item word list, composed of four words from each of the three semantic categories. The participant listens and memorizes the words as the examiner reads the complete word list of 12 items. This is followed by the participant's attempt to recite back the list of words in any order.
Measured: 4 weeks
Controlled Oral Word Association
This is a verbal fluency test. Participants are instructed to produce as many words as possible in a 1-minute time-period that begin with the letter cues C, F and L, which were originally selected for their increasing difficulty.
Measured: 4 weeks
Trail Making A-B
This test consists of 25 circles each distributed over a sheet of paper. In Part A, the circles are numbered 1-25 and, in Part B, the circles include both numbers 1-13 and letters A-L. With Part A, the participant is instructed to draw lines to connect the numbers in ascending order and in Part B, the participant is instructed to draw lines to connect the circles in an ascending pattern, while alternating between the numbers and letters (i.e., 1-A, 2-B, 3-C, etc.)
Measured: 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 May 2026
- Study start3 Jul 2023
- Primary completion10 Jun 2024
- Study completion10 Jun 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Mild Cognitive ImpairmentStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of CincinnatiThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 9 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Cincinnati
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Anthony Faiola, University of Cincinnati
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07596940
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB # 76973 IRB6
- Other IDs
- Internal Funding
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 12 May 2026
- Last updated
- 19 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Health Game Intervention for Cancer and Post-ICU Patients Suffering From Acute Cognitive Impairment: A Clinical Study to Assess a New Form of Brain Stimulation Therapy With the Potential to Improve Synaptic Plasticity
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07596940
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB # 76973 IRB6
- Conditions
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 9 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of CincinnatiUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 3 Jul 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 10 Jun 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 10 Jun 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 19 May 2026 (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.
Millions of patients each year suffer from acute cognitive impairment caused by traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc. Despite increasing incidences and morbidity, effective pharmacological interventions continue to show a lack of improvement for brain cancer patients. Studies thus far have shown that non-pharmacological interventions have contributed to early success in addressing some forms of cognitive impairment for patients with cognitive dysfunction. We have built a phase-one fully functioning game Hometown Bound that offers cognitive challenges to patients. The aim of this study is to observe for measured improvement of cognitive function among brain cancer patients, which will be validated by the four cognitive scales, measuring efficacy. The first three scales measure patient baseline impairment before and after game play.
Detailed description
After the completion of a usability study, a two-arm, randomized parallel-group efficacy pilot study will be executed with adult brain cancer patients to estimate cognitive improvements using 3 cognitive assessment measures. Arms will include an experimental group (intervention) and the non-gameplay attention group (control).
Experimental group: estimate approximately 10 hours of game play (over 4 weeks) and 1-2 hours of cognitive survey testing will be needed
Control group: It is estimated approximately 10 hours of Word-Search and Crossword Puzzle play (over 4 weeks) and 1-2 hours of cognitive survey testing will be needed.
Patient total duration of the intervention will be four weeks (3X per week) starting approximately one to two weeks after the conclusion of all cancer treatment (chemo and radiation therapy). Depending on the patients' ability/comfort level, we will determine if they are able to use the VR headset and hand controls.
The 3 cognitive scales:
- Hopkins Verbal Learning and Memory test
- Controlled Oral Word Association test (verbal fluency/exec. functions)
- Trail Making test (processing speed, executive function, visual perception)
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| VR cognitive training platform | Experimental | Device: VR cognitive training platformThe virtual reality cognitive training platform is specifically designed for mild cognitive impairment populations. The system, referred to as: Virtual Reality-Cognitive Rehabilitation Training (VR-CRT) offers advantages over traditional computerized cognitive training programs due to its immersive virtual reality environment with 81 embedded attention exercises. VR-CRT is a scenario goal-driven (game) framework that rewards patients with points and feedback at the end of each module to promote engagement and incentivize use. Automated (backend) game score tracking encourages aspirational behavior and goal setting with each module completion. VR-CRT was designed with three interconnecting virtual reality environments/levels, each with their own (progressively demanding) attention exercises, along with the ability for new training module integration, i.e., plug-ins to maintain game novelty and challenge. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Inclusion criteria of our study are as follows: (1) age 18 years or older, (2) English speaking, (3) Completion of all chemo and radiation therapy and surgical procedures, (4) physical, cognitively, and emotionally able to wear the VR game headset or seat with personal computer flat screen, (5) able to provide consent or through a legally authorized representative, (6) available to play the game three times per week for four consecutive weeks, either in the outpatient clinics or in a location near their home, with the support to provide them transportation to either location and (7) own a cell phone by which they can be reached to make arrangement for testing. Race and gender are not conditions for inclusion in this pilot study.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Patients are excluded from our study if any of the following conditions are present: (1) history of mental illnesses and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or any other form of advanced neurodegenerative or neuro-cognitive diseases, (2) severe psychiatric illness which is not well controlled, (3) suspected or confirmed drug intoxication/overdose; (5) acute neurologic injury such as traumatic brain injury, ischemic or hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accident, or undergoing neurosurgery, (6) uncorrected hearing or vision impairment including legal blindness, (7) incarcerated at the time of study enrollment, (8) enrolled in another clinical trial which does not permit co-enrollment, or (9) any medical condition precluding safe use of VR headset and hand control technology or physical use of personal computer flat screen and touch pads.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| VR cognitive training platformSee description above. | Device | VR cognitive training platform |
Primary outcome
Hopkins Verbal Learning and Memory test
Time frame: 4 weeks
The test consists of a 12-item word list, composed of four words from each of the three semantic categories. The participant listens and memorizes the words as the examiner reads the complete word list of 12 items. This is followed by the participant's attempt to recite back the list of words in any order.
Controlled Oral Word Association
Time frame: 4 weeks
This is a verbal fluency test. Participants are instructed to produce as many words as possible in a 1-minute time-period that begin with the letter cues C, F and L, which were originally selected for their increasing difficulty.
Trail Making A-B
Time frame: 4 weeks
This test consists of 25 circles each distributed over a sheet of paper. In Part A, the circles are numbered 1-25 and, in Part B, the circles include both numbers 1-13 and letters A-L. With Part A, the participant is instructed to draw lines to connect the numbers in ascending order and in Part B, the participant is instructed to draw lines to connect the circles in an ascending pattern, while alternating between the numbers and letters (i.e., 1-A, 2-B, 3-C, etc.)
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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 VR cognitive training platform in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment, run by University of Cincinnati 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 1 inclusion and 1 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 19 May 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?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
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?
Hopkins Verbal Learning and Memory test (time frame: 4 weeks). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. 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 19 May 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.