VR Training to Improve Postoperative Cognitive Function in Elderly Patients With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Undergoing Non-Cardiac Surgery

Summary

This clinical study aims to investigate whether virtual reality (VR)-based cognitive training can help improve postoperative cognitive function in elderly non-cardiac surgery patients with pre-existing cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). As the global aging population undergoes an increasing number of surgical procedures, perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) have emerged as a serious complication among surgical patients, potentially prolonging hospital stays and increasing the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The study employs an innovative VR system that integrates eye-tracking cognitive assessment with interactive rehabilitation games to evaluate and train patients' cognitive function prior to non-cardiac and non-cranial surgeries. Conducted at Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University First Hospital, and Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, this research specifically targets patients undergoing general surgery, orthopedic surgery, and other non-cranial/non-cardiac procedures. It seeks to validate whether this technology-based intervention can effectively enhance postoperative cognitive function in this population while exploring its underlying mechanisms. The findings may offer a practical solution for protecting cognitive health in elderly patients during recovery from routine surgical procedures.

Conditions

• Cerebral Small Vessel Disease
• Postoperative Cognitive Function

Interventions

DEVICE

Virtual reality cognitive function training

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.

DEVICE

Virtual scene intervention

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.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Peking University First Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing

  collaborator OTHER

• Peking University Third Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Zhengqian Li, Principal Investigator · Peking University Third Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-02-01

Primary Completion

2027-11-30

Completion

2027-12-31

Countries

• China

Study Locations