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Scientists scan Pilots' brains Mid-Flight to unlock secrets of elite performance

NCT ID NCT06606925

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: The Geneva Foundation Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
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 This study
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 15, 2026 · Last updated Jul 16, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study uses functional MRI (fMRI) to see which parts of the brain are active when military pilots perform virtual flight simulations. Researchers will scan pilots at two different points during training to track how brain activity changes as skills improve. The goal is to understand the neural circuits behind precise flight performance, which could one day help optimize training for aviators.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
fMRI with virtual reality flight simulator
What this could lead to
If successful, this could reveal which brain circuits are key for precise flight performance, potentially improving pilot training methods.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage observational study with only 35 participants, so findings may not generalize to all pilots or real-world conditions.

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

35 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Sep 2023

Finished

Jul 2026

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

18 to 54 years

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: * Active Duty Military Pilots (Instructor Pilot Trainees or Remote Piloted Aircraft Trainees) * Age 18-54 years * Biological male or female Exclusion Criteria: * Age \< 18 years * Age \> 60 years * Non-active-duty members * History of recurrent migraine headaches requiring chronic suppressive medication or prescription drug intervention more frequently than once per year. * History of head trauma or traumatic brain injury with any loss of consciousness or with confusion or amnesia of greater than five minutes. * History of eye trauma related to a metallic object unless the presence of residual metal has been previously excluded by x-ray. * Pregnancy * History of significant neurological disease including cerebrovascular disease, demyelinating disease, or infections of the central nervous system (encephalitis, meningitis). * History of medical conditions with potential neurological involvement such as obstructive sleep apnea, autoimmune disorders, etc. * History of seizures since age six. * Claustrophobia or intolerance of the MRI without medication. * Any medical contraindication to MRI (ex: foreign bodies, non-MRI compatible pacemaker, metal devices).

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

Cognitive performance

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Joint Base San Antonio - Randolph &amp; Lackland

    San Antonio, Texas, 78150, United States

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