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Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of VR Cognitive Training in Reducing Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Undergoing Non-Cardiac Surgery
Sponsor: Peking University Third Hospital
Summary
This clinical study investigates whether virtual reality (VR)-based cognitive training can help prevent postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly non-cardiac patients with pre-existing cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). With the global aging population undergoing more surgical procedures, POD has emerged as a serious complication in surgical patients that can prolong hospital stays and increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The study utilizes an innovative VR system that combines eye-tracking cognitive assessment with interactive rehabilitation games to evaluate and train patients' cognitive function before non-cardiac and non-intracranial operations. Conducted at Peking University Third Hospital and First Hospital, this research specifically targets patients undergoing general surgery, orthopedic surgery and other non-intracranial/non-cardiac procedures to determine if this technology-based intervention can effectively reduce POD incidence in this population while exploring its underlying mechanisms. The findings could lead to a practical solution for protecting cognitive health in elderly patients undergoing routine surgical procedures during recovery
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
65 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
416
Start Date
2025-05-31
Completion Date
2027-12-31
Last Updated
2025-05-31
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
Virtual reality cognitive function training
Participants will receive VR-based cognitive training over 4-5 days prior to surgery, with three daily 30-minute sessions (8:00-10:00 AM, 12:00-2:00 PM, and 5:00-7:00 PM), ensuring a total preoperative training duration ≥6 hours. The intervention utilizes an immersive VR environment that simulates real-world scenarios and tasks. Training modules target multiple cognitive domains, including memory, executive function, calculation, and abstract reasoning, designed as engaging, game-like activities with a gradual learning curve. Each participant's regimen is personalized based on baseline cognitive assessments or physician prescriptions, adhering to the "6-hour rule" for standardized efficacy evaluation. The system incorporates adaptive difficulty adjustment, dynamically modifying task complexity in response to real-time performance.
Virtual scene intervention
The control group will receive non-interactive VR exposure using identical equipment and session duration as the training group (3×30-minute daily sessions for 4-5 days, totaling ≥6 hours), with all interactive functions disabled to eliminate potential media-related biases (e.g., 2D/3D cognitive load differences from tablet-based interventions) and ensure between-group differences stem solely from interactive training while maintaining blinding integrity through equivalent hardware deployment.
Locations (2)
Peking university first hospital
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
Peking university third hospital
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China