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Can an AI avatar ease the burden of Alzheimer's caregiving?

NCT ID NCT07779785

Symptom relief Sponsor: Indiana University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 21, 2026 · Last updated Aug 21, 2026

Summary

This pilot trial tests whether an AI-powered virtual assistant, called VICA, can help family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease. The assistant provides education, symptom monitoring, and coaching through conversation. Sixty caregiver-patient pairs will be randomly assigned to use VICA or a standard education app for three months. The goal is to see if VICA is easy to use and whether it can reduce distressing dementia symptoms and caregiver stress.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
An AI-powered virtual assistant (VICA) that provides education, symptom monitoring, and coaching to caregivers via speech and text.
What this could lead to
If effective, VICA could offer a scalable, accessible way to support family caregivers, potentially reducing distressing dementia symptoms and caregiver burden.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study, so results may not be conclusive. The AI's effectiveness depends on caregiver engagement and usability, and it may not replace professional care.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 120 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

May 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

21 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Patient * Age ≥ 65 years * Community-dwelling * Diagnosed with ADRD * Clinical notes indicate behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) Inclusion Criteria: Informal Caregiver * Age ≥ 21 years * Self-identified informal caregiver of a community-dwelling patient diagnosed with ADRD * Provides ≥ 10 hours/week of care to the patient with ADRD * Regular access to a computer and/or smart device with internet * English-literate; assessed as "adequate" on the Single Item Literacy Screener Exclusion Criteria: Patient * Life expectancy less than 6 months Exclusion Criteria: Informal Caregiver * Clinician-reported cognitive impairment * Clinician-reported severe mental illness or substance use disorder * Clinician-reported life expectancy of less than 6 months * Unable to provide informed consent

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Alzheimer disease Behavior

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Alzheimer dementia (AD) Caregiver burden of people with dementia

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Eskanazi Health

    Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States

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