Using scent to prevent cognitive issues after surgery in older adults
Official title: Treatment of Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders With Olfactory Enrichment: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by Shanghai 10th People's Hospital · NCT06488807 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests if using pleasant scents can help older adults avoid memory and thinking problems after orthopedic surgery.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 65 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 686 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Shanghai 10th People's Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Shanghai) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 7, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | May 14, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT06488807 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are elderly patients aged 65 and older scheduled for orthopedic surgery requiring general anesthesia.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with pre-existing delirium, severe mental disorders, or those unable to comply with the study protocol may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This clinical trial investigates whether olfactory enrichment can prevent or treat perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) in elderly patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Participants aged 65 and older will be randomly assigned to receive either olfactory enrichment or a sham treatment, with assessments conducted twice daily to evaluate the incidence and severity of postoperative delirium and cognitive function. The study aims to clarify the potential benefits of olfactory stimulation in mitigating cognitive decline associated with surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly reduce the incidence of cognitive impairment in elderly patients after surgery.
How similar studies have gone: While olfactory enrichment has shown promise in animal studies, this clinical investigation is novel and has not been previously tested in humans for this specific application.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age ≥65 years old. 2. Having a scheduled surgery (≥2 hours, general anesthesia) (e.g., total hip replacement, toal knee replacement, open reduction and internal fixation of hip and lumbar spine). 3. Being able to complete neuropsychological tests, 3D-CAM and CAM-S. 4. Chinese Mandarin as their native language. 5. Edmonton frailty scale (EFS) score ≥ 6. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Having delirium, assessed by 3D-CAM, before surgery. 2. Having a brain tumour, stroke or mental disorders (eg, major depressive disorder or dementia). 3. Participating in other clinical studies at the time of screening. 4. Unwillingness to comply with the protocol or procedures.
Where it's running
-
Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital
Shanghai, China Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Yuan Shen — Shanghai Mental Health Center
- Study coordinator: Yuan Shen
- Email: dr.yuanshen@foxmail.com
- Phone: +8618602169932
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
POCD after major gynecologic surgery in adults
This study tests how often early postoperative cognitive dysfunction occurs after major gynecologic surgery and what perioperative factors are linked to it.
-
Innate Immune Cells and Early Fibrotic Repair After a Heart Attack
This study tests whether specific neutrophil and monocyte patterns are linked to early scar formation after a heart attack in STEMI patients.
-
Postoperative biologic therapy in Crohn's disease: which agent works best to prevent recurrence after surgery?
This study looks back at adults with Crohn's disease to see if different biologic medicines given after ileocecal or other bowel surgery help prevent endoscopic recurrence within a year.
-
Spermidine supplement for lipid and weight changes in adults with obesity and high cholesterol
This study tests whether taking spermidine daily for 1 month can improve blood lipids and body weight in adults who are overweight or obese with high cholesterol, while monitoring safety.
-
AI-powered fundus platform to detect posterior scleral staphyloma in high myopia
This project will test an AI platform that uses widefield photos, B-scan, and OCT to find posterior scleral staphyloma in people with high myopia and cataract.
-
Long-term effectiveness and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation
This project will follow about 4,000 people who have had fecal microbiota transplantation to see if it helps keep them in remission and is safe over 3 months, 1 year, and 5 years for conditions like recurrent C. difficile, IBD, IBS, and chronic constipation.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.