Breathlessness patterns in adults with cancer, COPD, or heart failure using brain fMRI and immersive virtual reality

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

Researchers will use cerebral functional MRI together with immersive virtual reality stimuli to record brain activity associated with persistent dyspnea in patients and in healthy control volunteers. The observational feasibility protocol enrolls adults followed at the Geneva University Hospitals outpatient palliative clinic who meet disease-specific breathlessness criteria and healthy volunteers without cardiorespiratory or oncologic disease. During imaging sessions standardized symptom ratings and IVR triggers will be applied to explore central nervous system signaling and potential disease-specific breathlessness patterns. The primary goal is to determine whether distinct, reproducible brain activity patterns can be detected across disease groups to inform future targeted therapies.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria

* Age ≥ 18 years and
* Followed by the outpatient palliative care clinic of the Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland (HUG) and
* Breathlessness at rest \> 2 and \< 8 on the NRS (numeric rating scale 0 to 10) and
* Persistent breathlessness (persistent dyspnea for \> 3 weeks despite adequate and maximal medication according to the pathology) and
* In a stable clinical condition, i.e., without an episode of acute cardiac, respiratory, and/or neurological failure leading to hospitalization in the previous 4 weeks and
* Diagnosis of either HF stage NYHA III-IV, or COPD with dyspnea on the modified MRC scale grade 3-4, or oncological disease with primary or secondary pulmonary involvement

Inclusion Criteria for Healthy Volunteers (Control Group)

* Age ≥ 18 years and
* No respiratory symptoms: dyspnea, cough, wheezing and
* No known pulmonary, cardiac, or oncological disease and
* Smoking status \< 10 pack-years and
* No contraindication to fMRI (Appendix 3) and
* Ability to lie flat (supine position) and
* No diagnosed psychiatric illness (severe depression, severe anxiety, psychosis, other) or antipsychotic treatment deemed a contraindication for fMRI based on physician judgement and
* No neurological disorders according to neurological assessment, including diagnosed dementia (frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), brain pathology (tumor, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc.), or epilepsy and
* No claustrophobia, acrophobia, photophobia, severe hearing loss, and/or severe visual deficit and
* No contraindication to IVR (migraines, photosensitive epilepsy, vertigo)

Exclusion Criteria

* Breathlessness at rest ≥ 8 on the NRS (numeric rating scale 0 to 10)
* Contraindication to fMRI
* Inability to lie flat (supine position)
* Diagnosed psychiatric illness (severe depression, severe anxiety, psychosis, other) or antipsychotic treatment deemed a contraindication for fMRI based on physician judgement
* Neurological disorders according to neurological assessment, including diagnosed dementia (frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), brain pathology (tumor, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc.), or epilepsy
* Presence of claustrophobia, acrophobia, photophobia, severe hearing loss, and/or severe visual deficit
* Contraindication to IVR (migraines, photosensitive epilepsy, vertigo)

Where it's running

• Geneva University Hospitals
  Geneva, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Lisa Hentsch, Dr med — University Hospital, Geneva
• Study coordinator: Lisa Hentsch, Dr med
• Email: lisa.hentsch@hug.ch
• Phone: +41795531093

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.