An interventional study of Cereset Research in Caregivers, sponsored by Wake Forest University Health Sciences. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-01.
Sponsored by Wake Forest University Health Sciences · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
Caregivers experience high levels of prolonged stress that can lead to chronic problems with health, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease that is linked to autonomic dysregulation. Heart rate variability (HRV), measures of autonomic cardiovascular regulation, is decreased (worse) in caregivers. Autonomic function is linked to lateralization in the brain, and emerging neuromodulation methods that target lateralized signals in the brain, like Cereset (CR), may be able to improve heart rate variability. Therefore, this pilot study aims to test whether CR can improve HRV in caregivers of a person living with dementia experiencing stress, anxiety, or insomnia, as well as improve self-report measures of stress, sleep and caregiver burden.
Phase I: Intervention only pre-piloting: up to 5 adults; mirroring Phase II characteristics described below
Phase II: 20 caregivers experiencing symptoms of stress, anxiety or insomnia. Primary aims are to:
1) Evaluate the effect of CR to improve autonomic cardiovascular regulation measured as heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). Impact will be assessed based on changes in standard measures of HRV and BRS such as SDNN, rMSSD, HF Alpha, and Sequence ALL. This will also provide blood pressure values evaluated by an automated oscillometric blood pressure device.
2) Assess the effect of CR on self-reported symptom inventories of stress, anxiety, insomnia, and caregiver burden and distress.
4,868 studies on the registry are indexed under Anxiety Disorders; 1,390 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 20 is below the median of 80 across 4,174 interventional studies indexed under Anxiety Disorders.
Browse Anxiety Disorders studies →Wake Forest University Health Sciences is the lead sponsor of 1,320 studies on the registry; 199 are open to participants now.
Of its 323 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 243 (75%) have results posted.
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Exclusion criteria:
This will be the active intervention arm using 4 Cereset (CR) sessions and participants will continue current care.
Device: Cereset Research
Participants will have 4 CR sessions of sham control tones and also continue their current care.
Device: Cereset Research
Cereset Research The upgraded platform for medical research using the HIRREM technology has been rebranded as Cereset Research® (CR). This system uses the same core technology and algorithms to echo brainwaves in real-time using audible tones, as with HIRREM. The CR system also includes 64-bit processing architecture for faster feedback, the use of 4 sensors, and the use of standard protocols (with flexibility regarding the length and sequencing of the standard protocols), all done with eyes closed. Four sensors are applied to the scalp at a time. However, only two sensors are actively echoing feedback. The software automatically switches from one sensor pair to the other when needed. This reduces the number of sensor placement changes needed, resulting in shorter session time and fewer interruptions.
Change in Blood Pressure Measurements
BP measurements will be obtained using an automate oscillometric blood pressure device. Three samples will be obtained and the last two averaged to get the value that will be used as the reading for that visit.
Time frame: Baseline; V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Change in Heart Rate (HR)
Continuous heart rate will be recorded while participant is breathing normally in seated position for 10 minutes using Faros 180 heart rate monitor (Bittium Corporation, Oulu, Finland). Beat to beat intervals (RRI) files will be generated at 1000 Hz via the data acquisition software. Files will be analyzed with Nevrokard HRV software (by Nevrokard Kiauta, d.o.o., Izola, Slovenia). Recordings will be visually inspected to ensure data quality (dropped beats or gross motion artifacts are excluded) and first 5 minutes of usable tracings will be analyzed.
Time frame: Baseline; V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Change in Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Measures of heart rate variability in frequency domain will be derived and measures integrated over specified frequency ranges (LF: 0.04-0.15 Hz; HF: 0.15-0.4 Hz). Power of RRI spectra in LF, HF range (LFRRI and HFRRI) and total power (TP) will be calculated in normalized units and ratio of LF/HF used as a measure of sympatho-vagal balance.
Time frame: Baseline; V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Change in Baroreflex Sensitivity
BRS calculated by this method is based on quantification of sequences of at least three beats (n) in which Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) consecutively increases (UP sequence) or decreases (DOWN sequence), which are accompanied by changes in the same direction of the beat-to-beat intervals (RRI) of subsequent beats (n+1). The software scans the RRI and SBP records, identifies sequences, and calculates linear correlation between RRI and SBP for each sequence. The mean of all individual regression coefficients (slopes), a measure of sequence BRS, is calculated for Sequence UP, DOWN and ALL (ms/mmHg).
Time frame: Baseline; V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Blood Pressure Variability
Systolic BP and beat to beat, RR intervals (RRI) files generated via the data acquisition system (BIOPAC acquisition system and software, Santa Barbara, CA) at 1000 Hz are analyzed using Nevrokard SA-BRS software (by Nevrokard Kiauta, d.o.o., Izola, Slovenia) for measures BPV.Frequency Method. Power spectral densities of SBP and RRI oscillations are computed by 512 points Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and integrated over specified frequency ranges (LF: 0.04-0.15 Hz; HF: 0.15-0.4 Hz).
Time frame: Baseline, V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Severity of Insomnia (ISI)
The ISI is a 7 question, self-reported measure to evaluate symptoms of insomnia, with responses from 0-4 for each question, yielding scores ranging from 0-28. Lower scores represent better outcomes.
Time frame: Baseline, V2 (0-14 days after intervention completion, and V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a depression scale, which will help to assess this co-morbidity. CES-D is a 20-item survey assessing affective depressive symptomatology to screen for risk of depression. Scores range from 0-60, with a score of 16 commonly used as a clinically relevant cut-off. The higher the score, the more suggestive of depressive symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline, V2 (0-14 days after intervention completion, and V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scores
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is a seven-item screening tool for anxiety that is widely used in primary care. GAD-7 is a brief, reliable and valid measure of assessing generalized anxiety disorder. A score of 10 or greater on the GAD-7 represents a reasonable cut point for identifying cases. Cut points of 5, 10, and 15 might be interpreted as representing mild, moderate, and severe levels of anxiety.
Time frame: Baseline, V2 (0-14 days after intervention completion, and V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
PTSD Checklist for civilians (PCL-C)
The PTSD Checklist for civilians (PCL-C), measures the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV) Criteria B, C, \& D of PTSD symptoms based on traumatic life experience either in civilian life. Seventeen items are rated on a Likert scale with a composite score range of 17 to 85. A score of 44 or higher correlates with probability of civilian-related PTSD. Higher scores suggest more traumatic stress.
Time frame: Baseline, V2 (0-14 days after intervention completion, and V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a ten-item psychological instrument for measuring the perception of stress. It is a measure of the degree to which situations in one's life are appraised as stressful. Items were designed to tap how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded respondents find their lives. The scale, with answers rated from 0-4, also includes a number of direct queries about current levels of experienced stress. Total scores range from 0-40. A lower score denotes a lower level of perceived stress.
Time frame: Baseline, V2 (0-14 days after intervention completion, and V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Quality of Life Scale (QOLS)
The QOLS is a 16-item scale that was modified from a 15-item scale used in chronic disease patients. Topics include different components of daily life such as relationships, community engagement, personal fulfillment, and recreation. Each item is scaled from 1 to 7 and a sum score is calculated to represent higher levels of satisfaction in life (range is 16-112).
Time frame: Baseline, V2 (0-14 days after intervention completion, and V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Caregiver Burden (Zarit)
The Zarit caregiver burden scale scoring system uses a five point scale. Responses can range from zero (which means never) to four (which means nearly always). A screening tool of this type can help identify challenges in a way that is less personal and threatening to the caregiver and the care recipient.
Time frame: Baseline, V2 (0-14 days after intervention completion, and V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Caregiver Distress (NPI-Q)
Caregiver distress will be assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) and an adaptation of the 22-item Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) for caregiving. Higher total scores (each question being 0-4 points) equal higher amounts of distress. The rationale for assessing only symptom severity on the NPI-Q is the finding that symptom severity is more strongly correlated with caregiver distress (i.e., more clinically significant) than how often the symptom occurs. The total NPI-Q severity score represents the sum of individual symptom scores and ranges from 0 to 36.
Time frame: Baseline, V2 (0-14 days after intervention completion, and V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Changes in Chronic Pain (MPQ)
For participants reporting chronic pain, the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) questionnaire will be given. The maximum score an individual can reach on the MPQ is 78. According to the questionnaire, a person with a score of 0 effectively does not experience pain. A person with a high score, nearer to the highest score of 78, more than likely deals with chronic pain daily.
Time frame: Baseline, V2 (0-14 days after intervention completion, and V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
Changes in Chronic Pain (PROMIS)
For participants reporting chronic pain, the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Short Form Pain Interference questionnaire will be given. scales focus on how frequently patients engage in each pain behavior using a 6-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (had no pain) to 6 (always), with responses reflecting the 7-day recall period.
Time frame: Baseline, V2 (0-14 days after intervention completion, and V3 (4-7 weeks following completion of the intervention)
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Wake Forest University Health Sciences