Actively Recruiting
SPLENDOR-OA; Scents of Progress: Leveraging a Novel Device for Olfactory Training in Older Adults
Led by Johns Hopkins University · Updated on 2026-04-13
60
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
12 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are evaluating the effects of a new olfactory training device called ScentCare and its companion web-based application on improving the sense of smell and overall well-being in older adults with olfactory dysfunction. This study compares the ScentCare device to solving Sudoku puzzles to understand how olfactory training may impact smell and cognitive function in elderly individuals. The focus is on measuring changes in smell ability and quality of life related to olfactory loss. Participants will be randomly assigned to use either the ScentCare device, which includes eight different scents and is guided by a smartphone app or booklet, or to complete Sudoku puzzles. Both groups will engage in their assigned activities twice daily for five minutes over a three-month period. The device training involves a rotating wheel with scent chambers, and the app provides instructions, reminders, and scent randomization. The control group will spend the same time solving Sudoku puzzles to provide a cognitive activity comparison. Throughout the study, participants will visit the clinic twice: once at enrollment and once after three months. They will undergo formal smell testing using the Sniffin' Sticks test at both visits, complete questionnaires assessing olfactory quality of life, cognition, anxiety, depression, device use, and compliance. Researchers will compare results from before and after the three-month intervention to evaluate changes in olfaction and well-being. Feedback on the device's usability will also be collected from participants using ScentCare.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Scents of Progress: Leveraging a Novel Device for Olfactory Training in Older Adults
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Adults 60 years of age or older
- English-speaking patients
- Patients with a diminished or lost sense of smell
- Patients who have not done smell training before
You will not qualify if you...
- Patients who are sensitive to any of the scents used in the study
- Patients with a diagnosis of congenital anosmia
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 3 months
Participants are randomized to either use the ScentCare olfactory training device with a companion app or booklet, completing twice daily 5-minute smell training sessions, or to complete sudoku puzzles twice daily. This continues for 3 months.
Regular use at home twice daily for 3 months
Duration - Up to 1 week after treatment
Participants complete formal smell testing and surveys to assess the impact of the intervention after 3 months.
1 visit (in-person)
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
W
Wassim Najjar, M.D.
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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