The Effect of Lavender Aromatherapy on Cognitive Function in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment

July 2, 2026 updated by: Yuxin Zhang, China Medical University, China
  1. To analyze the therapeutic effects of lavender aromatherapy on memory function and overall cognitive function in older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI);
  2. To analyze whether lavender aromatherapy improves executive function, language ability, attention, visuospatial ability, anxiety, depression, quality of life, and sleep in older adults with MCI.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The intervention protocol was established as follows: Based on the elderly participant's usual bedtime, the time of going to bed was recorded. The participant was instructed to assume a comfortable sleeping position, use the graduated dropper provided with the essential oil bottle to measure 0.15 ml (approximately 3 drops; theoretically, 0.05 ml per drop) of diluted lavender essential oil, and drip it vertically onto the upper center of a cotton pad. The cotton pad was then pinned to the collar with a safety pin, and the participant was instructed to inhale the scent evenly for 30 minutes. Afterward, the intervention staff or caregiver will remove the cotton pad. The intervention will be conducted 5 days a week for 12 weeks.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

70

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. The MCI mentioned in this study meets the diagnostic criteria proposed by the *Chinese Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease-Derived Mild Cognitive Impairment (2021)*: cognitive impairment reported by the patient or an informant, or identified by an experienced clinician; objective evidence of impairment in one or more cognitive domains, with episodic memory impairment being the most common; complex instrumental activities of daily living may be mildly impaired, but the ability to perform basic activities of daily living remains independent; the diagnostic criteria for dementia are not met.
  2. MoCA-Beijing version scores were adjusted for education level: ≤13 for junior high school education or below, ≤19 for high school education, and ≤24 for university education or above; MMSE score >24; ADL score <23.
  3. Age between 60 and 79 years.
  4. Normal olfactory function assessed using the "Sniffin' Sticks" test.
  5. Ability to communicate normally and complete cognitive assessments.
  6. Residing in a senior care facility with no plans to leave within the next 12 weeks.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Presence of other conditions known to affect cognitive function, such as psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, depression).
  2. History of asthma or any allergic conditions.
  3. Use of any prescription medications that may impact cognitive function (including psychotropic drugs and others)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Other: Aromatherapy experimental group
Aromatherapy experimental group : Aromatherapy The aromatherapy intervention protocol is as follows: Based on the elderly participant's usual bedtime, record the time they go to bed; instruct them to assume a comfortable sleeping position; using the graduated dropper provided with the essential oil bottle, dispense 0.15 ml (approximately 3 drops; theoretically, 0.05 ml per drop) of diluted lavender essential oil and drip it vertically onto the upper center of a cotton pad; pin the cotton pad to the collar with a safety pin; and have the participant inhale the scent evenly for 30 minutes. Afterward, the intervention staff or caregiver will remove the cotton pad. The intervention will be conducted 5 days a week for 12 weeks.
Other: aromatherapy
Participants in the intervention group will receive aromatherapy inhalation for 30 minutes per session, five times a week, over a period of 12 week
No Intervention: Control group
no-treatment control group receiving routine health education only

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Gobal cognitive function
Time Frame: Week 12
Use the Mini-Mental State Examination to assess overall cognitive function.
Week 12
Memory
Time Frame: Week 12
Use the Auditory Verbal Learning Test to assess memory function.
Week 12

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Language function
Time Frame: Week 12
Use the Boston Naming Test to assess Language function
Week 12
Executive function
Time Frame: Week 12
Use the TMT-B to assess Executive function
Week 12
Visual space
Time Frame: Week 12
Use the Draw-a-Clock Test to assess Visual space
Week 12
Attention
Time Frame: Week 12
Use the TMT-A to assess Attention
Week 12
Anxiety
Time Frame: Week 12
Use the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale to assess Anxiety
Week 12
Depression
Time Frame: Week 12
Use the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale to assess Depression
Week 12
Sleep Quality
Time Frame: Week 12
Use the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index to assess Depression
Week 12
Quality of Life assess
Time Frame: Week 12
Use the ShortForm 8 Health Survey Questionnaire to assess Depression
Week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

China Medical University, China

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Yuxin Zhang, Graduate, China Medical University, China

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 2, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 2, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

July 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 2, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Lun Shen [2025] No. 237

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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