Boosting Olfactory and Sensory Training Study (BOOST)
ConditionHIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phasePhase 2
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age40+
SponsorUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
About this trial
The goal of this study is to examine two types of olfactory interventions (conventional olfactory training vs scented marker training) in adults with HIV.
The two research questions are:
1. Determine if participants find the intervention acceptable and assess feasibility of the study. 2. Determine if the intervention improves olfactory function and cognitive function.
Participants will come to our office and be administered the baseline battery of questions including olfactory and cognitive performance tests. Then they will be randomized and sent home with one of the two interventions (below) in which they will engage in it for 8 weeks, after which they come back to our office for the posttest battery of questions including olfactory and cognitive performance test.
1. Conventional Olfactory Training at Home -- 4 scents in which they will smell twice a day for 8 weeks. 2. Scented Marker Training at Home -- Several marker scents in which they will smell twice a day for 8 weeks.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Participants (men & women) must be 40+ years
have cognitive complaints.
must be proficient in English
Disqualifiers
a sinus infection (within the past 3 months), thrush, candidiasis, pregnant, current cold or flu, hay fever, asthma, nasal allergies, opportunistic infections (including COVID-19) within the past 3 months, or current nasal obstruction condition.
Participation requires ~8 weeks and in-person visits, participants living beyond 60 miles away from the center will be excluded.
Participants living in unstable housing (e.g., shelter) or with significant neuro-comorbidities (e.g., schizophrenia) will be excluded.
Other conditions (e.g., legally blind/deaf, currently undergoing radiation or chemotherapy, or a history of significant brain trauma) that could impact olfactory and cognitive testing also necessitate exclusion.
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Conventional Smell Training Group
- Scented Marker Group
Treatment groups
80 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsSponsors and collaborators
Source ClinicalTrials.gov