Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of VR Cognitive Training in Reducing Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Undergoing Non-Cardiac Surgery

N/ANot Yet RecruitingNCT06999668

Peking University Third Hospital416 enrolled

Overview

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

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

416

Conditions

Postoperative Delirium (POD)Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases

Interventions

Virtual reality cognitive function trainingDEVICE

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 interventionDEVICE

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.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: Age ≥ 65 years; Preoperative MRI diagnosis of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD); Scheduled to undergo non-cardiac, non-intracranial procedures under general anesthesia; Expected surgery duration \> 2 hours; ASA physical status classification: I-III; No use of cognitive-enhancing medications within 3 months prior to surgery; Willing to participate and provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: Contraindications to cranial MRI (e.g., cardiac pacemaker, metallic implants, etc.); Patients experiencing subjective discomfort (dizziness, nausea, vomiting) during VR device adaptation; Severe visual or auditory impairment; Severe hepatic or renal dysfunction; Pre-existing neuropsychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, delirium, etc.); Inability to complete preoperative neuropsychological assessments (dementia, deaf-mutism, communication disorders); History of cerebrovascular events (stroke, transient ischemic attack, etc.) within 3 months prior to surgery; Current use of sedatives/antidepressants or history of psychoactive substance abuse/alcoholism.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Occurrence of postoperative delirium

Follow up personnel use the Confusion Assessment Method(CAM) scale to evaluate the occurrence of postoperative delirium after anesthesia surgery

Time frame: From the first day to the fifth day after surgery or from the first day after surgery to before discharge

Secondary Outcomes

Changes in postoperative cognitive function

Trained research personnel (certified by neurologists) administer the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to evaluate eight cognitive domains (visuospatial ability, executive function, memory, attention, calculation, language, abstract thinking, and orientation), with total scores ranging 0-30 (normal cognition defined as ≥26).

Time frame: At enrollment (baseline) and on postoperative day 5 or prior to discharge (whichever occurs first).

Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation（ALFF） of brain regions

Blood Oxygen Level Dependent Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (BOLD-fMRI) was used to measure changes in brain regions activation

Time frame: At enrollment and immediately after completion of the preoperative intervention

Fractional Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation（fALFF) of brain regions

Blood Oxygen Level Dependent Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (BOLD-fMRI) was used to measure changes in brain regions activation

Time frame: At enrollment and immediately after completion of the preoperative intervention

Regional Homogeneity（ReHo） of brain regions

Blood Oxygen Level Dependent Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (BOLD-fMRI) was used to assess the synchronization of neuronal activity within brain regions

Time frame: At enrollment and immediately after completion of the preoperative intervention

Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of VR Cognitive Training in Reducing Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Undergoing Non-Cardiac Surgery

Overview

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (2)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes

Central Contacts