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Boosting Olfactory and Sensory Training Study (BOOST)

NCT07221123 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: EARLY_PHASE1 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 80

Last updated 2026-03-11

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this study is to examine two types of olfactory interventions (olfactory training vs overnight odor diffuser) 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. Olfactory Training at Home -- 4 scents in which they will smell twice a day for 8 weeks.
2. Overnight Diffuser Group -- a single scent diffuser that participants will turn on while they sleep and use for 8 weeks.

Conditions

  • HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)

Interventions

OTHER

Standard Smell Training Group

We are adopting the usual smell training approach from the literature.23-32 A standard smell training kit (i.e., MOXĒ) will be used that contains the four basic odorants across the "odor prism" - i) flowery (e.g., rose), ii) resinous (e.g., eucalyptus), iii) aromatic (e.g., cloves), and iv) fruity (e.g., lemon). Participants will be instructed to sniff each of the odorant vials/bottles for 10-20 seconds twice a day (morning and evening), for the next 8 weeks. A structured daily diary will be provided for them to record observations of the experience, memories the odorants may evoke, and any side effects experienced (i.e., headache, euphoria, light headedness, phantosmia, nasal irritation).

OTHER

Overnight Diffuser Grou

This group will received a odorant diffuser and 7 essential oil odorant (rose, orange, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, and lavender) from the Essential Oil Company (Portland, OR). Participants will receive instruction on how to set it up, and with a diary of keeping track of its use.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Alabama at Birmingham

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
40 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-05-01
Primary Completion
2027-07-01
Completion
2027-12-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07221123 on ClinicalTrials.gov