Combining virtual reality exposure with low-level electrical brain stimulation has promising results for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a study has found. Published in JAMA Psychiatry on Wednesday found.
Although not systematically tracked, approximately 6% of Americans and an even larger percentage of veterans will suffer from PTSD at some point in their lives. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Mental health conditions develop after a shocking, frightening, or dangerous experience. People feel stressed and fearful even when they are not in danger. Psychotherapy and medication are used to manage symptoms.
For the new study, researchers at Brown University tested 54 U.S. veterans at Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center who had been diagnosed with chronic PTSD.
Some subjects were treated with a constant, painless, low electrical current applied to the frontal lobes of their brains and experienced six 25-minute sessions of an immersive sensory VR simulation of a combat zone over two to three weeks. did.
Other veterans only experienced the VR simulation.
All participants reported a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms after one month.
However, the group that received VR simulation and electrical brain stimulation reported a significant reduction in symptom severity.
In just two weeks, participants who received the combination therapy showed similar progress to those who completed 12 weeks of VR exposure therapy, and the effects continued to increase over time even after stopping therapy .
“This is a different and innovative treatment that combines the best aspects of psychotherapy, neuroscience and brain stimulation to help people recover,” said Brown University professor of psychiatry and human behavior. said study author Noah Phillip. Providence VA Center Mental Health Research Director; stated in a statement.
Traditional PTSD treatment combines medication and exposure therapy, both of which can be especially difficult for veterans. Medications can have serious side effects, and trauma recovery through exposure therapy can be very difficult.
In fact, studies point out that up to 50% of patients drop out of traditional exposure therapy, and many others refuse to even begin.
With that in mind, the researchers utilized a standardized VR simulation of a conflict zone to incorporate trauma-inducing elements, but did not replicate participants’ personal experiences.
“It can be difficult for patients to talk about their personal trauma over and over again, and it’s one of the common reasons participants drop out of psychotherapy,” Philip says. “This VR exposure tends to be very manageable for people.”
Experts are also encouraged by PTSD treatments including “magic mushrooms,” MDMA, and the Mediterranean diet.
“There’s a lot of potential here, and that gives us hope,” Philip said of his discovery.
