A 10-Day photo exercise might boost caregiver health

NCT ID NCT06650527

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: Emory University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

This trial is taking on new participants right now.

First seen Aug 18, 2026 · Last updated Aug 19, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether a 10-day cognitive empathy training can improve mental health, reduce inflammation, and boost immune function in people caring for a loved one with dementia. Caregivers will take photos of their care recipient and caption them from the recipient's perspective, encouraging deeper understanding. The trial measures changes in caregiver burden, depression, anxiety, and biological markers of stress and immunity.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: Cognitive Empathy Training - a behavioral intervention where caregivers caption photos of their care recipient to practice perspective-taking
What this could lead to: If effective, this simple smartphone-based training could offer a low-cost way to improve mental health and immune function in dementia caregivers.
What could go wrong: The trial is relatively small and early, and results may not apply to all caregivers. The training requires daily effort and may not work for everyone.

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 118 people

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

Started

Feb 2025

Expected to finish

Nov 2028

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

50 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

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: * Caregivers must live with their care recipient * Caregivers must have a Zarit Burden Scale score of 19 or higher * Caregivers must have no plans to move their care recipient to an institutional setting within the next year * Caregivers must be able to read and write English * Care recipient not in hospice * Access to a mobile phone that can take and email photographs Exclusion Criteria: * Subjects with a history of seizures or other neurological disorders, alcoholism, or any other substance abuse * Subjects with a history of psychiatric illness (excluding depression and anxiety disorders) will also be excluded * Subjects with a history of head trauma based on Survey * Subjects with MRI contra-indications

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

dementia

As listed by the trial registrant

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

CAREGIVERS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA DEMENTIA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Alter
RECRUITING

Atlanta, Georgia, 30302, United States
Emory Integrated Memory Care
RECRUITING

Atlanta, Georgia, 30329, United States
NIA Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
RECRUITING

Atlanta, Georgia, 30329, United States

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