Virtual Reality Therapy for PTSD After COVID-19

Overseen By Isabelle McLeod Daphnis, BS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Phase < 1

Recruiting

Sponsor: Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Must be taking: Psychotropic medications

Disqualifiers: Schizophrenia, Psychotic disorder, others

No Placebo Group

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial is testing a virtual reality therapy to help healthcare workers and COVID-19 patients with PTSD. The therapy uses computer-generated environments to help them face and reduce the impact of their traumatic memories. Participants will have multiple sessions over several weeks to see if this approach is effective and tolerable. Virtual reality therapy (VRT) is a new psychotherapeutic approach integrating virtual reality technology and psychotherapy.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that participants be stable on their psychotropic medication for the prior 60 days, so you will not need to stop taking your current medications if they have been stable.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for PTSD after COVID-19?

Research shows that Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) is effective for treating PTSD, as it helps patients feel more present during therapy, which can improve outcomes. Studies have also found VRET to be beneficial for anxiety and phobias related to COVID-19, suggesting it could be helpful for PTSD after COVID-19. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) for PTSD after COVID-19 differ from other treatments for this condition?

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) is unique because it uses virtual reality technology to create a controlled environment where patients can safely confront and process traumatic memories, unlike traditional talk therapy or medication. This immersive experience can make the therapy more engaging and effective for some individuals, offering a novel approach to treating PTSD. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Research Team

JoAnn Difede, PhD

Principal Investigator

Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for English-speaking adults over 18 who have PTSD from COVID-19 as patients or healthcare workers. They must be medically stable, able to consent, and not have changed psychotropic meds in the last 60 days. It's not for those with unstable illnesses, current severe risks to themselves or others, a history of motion sickness or seizures, recent psychiatric treatment trials, or psychotic disorders.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a COVID-19 patient or a healthcare worker caring for COVID-19 patients.

I am 18 years old or older.

My health condition is currently stable.

Exclusion Criteria

You are considered to be at risk of hurting yourself or others by the person in charge of the study.

Current significant unstable medical illness such that the participant could not attend sessions regularly or complete assessments

I have been in a mental health study or treated for psychiatric conditions or PTSD in the last 3 months.

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants complete ten ninety-minute sessions of virtual reality exposure therapy, twice a week for five weeks, aimed at mitigating PTSD symptoms

5 weeks

10 sessions (in-person or remotely)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment, including assessments at three months post-treatment

3 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial Overview The study tests Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy on healthcare workers and COVID-19 survivors with PTSD. Participants will undergo ten ninety-minute VR sessions over five weeks to help them process their traumatic experiences related to the pandemic.

Participant Groups

Group I: Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,103

Recruited

1,157,000+

Cornell University

Collaborator

Trials

179

Recruited

14,090,000+

Findings from Research

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) has been shown to be more effective than waitlist control groups in treating PTSD, with a significant effect size indicating its potential as a treatment option.

However, VRET's efficacy compared to other active treatments was not significantly different, highlighting the need for more high-quality studies to better understand its effectiveness and safety, especially since most existing studies had low quality and varied methods.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of immersive PTSD treatments: A systematic review of virtual and augmented reality exposure therapy and a meta-analysis of virtual reality exposure therapy. Eshuis, LV., van Gelderen, MJ., van Zuiden, M., et al.[2021]

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) effectively reduced symptoms of anxiety and fear related to COVID-19 infection in three patients, demonstrating its potential as a treatment for phobias and anxiety disorders during the pandemic.

The therapy involved immersive virtual scenarios that allowed patients to confront their fears safely, providing a valuable alternative to in-person exposure therapy, especially in situations where direct exposure is risky.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) for Anxiety Due to Fear of COVID-19 Infection: A Case Series. Zhang, W., Paudel, D., Shi, R., et al.[2020]

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) has been shown to be an effective treatment for PTSD in service members who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, supported by randomized controlled trials.

The study compares VRET to a control exposure therapy (CET) protocol, highlighting the potential benefits of VR in enhancing the effectiveness of traditional exposure therapy despite its higher costs and complexity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Importance of Virtual Reality to Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy, Study Design of a Randomized Trial. McLay, RN., Baird, A., Murphy, J., et al.[2018]

Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy significantly reduces PTSD symptoms in active-duty soldiers, showing its efficacy in this population with 162 participants undergoing treatment and follow-ups.

While both PE and virtual reality exposure (VRE) therapies were effective compared to a waitlist group, PE demonstrated greater long-term symptom reduction at 3- and 6-month follow-ups, suggesting it may be the more effective option for treating PTSD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized controlled trial of prolonged exposure using imaginal exposure vs. virtual reality exposure in active duty soldiers with deployment-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Reger, GM., Koenen-Woods, P., Zetocha, K., et al.[2022]

A study involving 17 participants (9 in the VR treatment group and 8 in the waitlist control group) found that VR-enhanced exposure therapy significantly reduced PTSD symptoms after 14 sessions, with a large effect size of 1.53.

The results indicate that using virtual reality can effectively increase patient engagement and improve treatment outcomes for individuals suffering from PTSD, particularly those affected by the September 11 attacks.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The application of virtual reality to the treatment of PTSD following the WTC attack. Difede, J., Cukor, J., Patt, I., et al.[2006]

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that can evade vaccine-induced immunity poses a significant threat to ongoing vaccination efforts and may extend the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the 24 treatments reviewed for COVID-19, six have been shown to significantly reduce mortality in clinical trials, while ten others demonstrated some level of clinical efficacy, highlighting the importance of diverse therapeutic options in managing the disease.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical drug therapies and biologicals currently used or in clinical trial to treat COVID-19. Malek, RJ., Bill, CA., Vines, CM.[2023]

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show promise in cellular therapy for treating severe COVID-19 by modifying the lung microenvironment and exerting immunomodulatory effects that can repair lung injury.

While cellular therapies are not yet approved for COVID-19 treatment, ongoing clinical trials aim to evaluate their efficacy and safety, highlighting their potential as a novel approach to combat severe respiratory complications associated with the virus.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cellular Therapy: Shafts of Light Emerging for COVID-19. Jeyaraman, M., Ranjan, R., Kumar, R., et al.[2020]

Emerging therapeutics for COVID-19 are being rapidly investigated, with two main categories showing promise: antiviral treatments that target the virus directly and therapies that address the inflammatory response caused by severe disease.

Preliminary evidence suggests that treatments like convalescent plasma therapy and lung radiation may be effective, but most current studies are small and the results are still evolving, highlighting the need for larger, well-designed trials to confirm their efficacy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Narrative Review of Emerging Therapeutics for COVID-19. Willis, VC., Arriaga, Y., Weeraratne, D., et al.[2023]

Current evidence does not clearly support the use of pharmacotherapy for COVID-19, indicating that while some treatments show promise, they must be approached with caution due to potential risks and unclear benefits.

The review emphasizes the need for well-designed clinical trials to better understand the efficacy and safety of COVID-19 treatments, suggesting that therapies should primarily be used in research settings until more definitive evidence is available.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The trade-off dilemma in pharmacotherapy of COVID-19: systematic review, meta-analysis, and implications. Khan, S., Gionfriddo, MR., Cortes-Penfield, N., et al.[2022]

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has led to over 6.5 million cases and 380,000 deaths, particularly affecting the elderly, highlighting the urgent need for effective antiviral therapies and vaccines.

This review discusses promising emerging therapies and vaccines for COVID-19 and identifies potential viral targets for future research and drug development.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Vaccines and Therapies in Development for SARS-CoV-2 Infections. Wu, D., Koganti, R., Lambe, UP., et al.[2020]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of immersive PTSD treatments: A systematic review of virtual and augmented reality exposure therapy and a meta-analysis of virtual reality exposure therapy. [2021]

2. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) for Anxiety Due to Fear of COVID-19 Infection: A Case Series. [2020]

3. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Importance of Virtual Reality to Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy, Study Design of a Randomized Trial. [2018]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized controlled trial of prolonged exposure using imaginal exposure vs. virtual reality exposure in active duty soldiers with deployment-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The application of virtual reality to the treatment of PTSD following the WTC attack. [2006]

6. France pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical drug therapies and biologicals currently used or in clinical trial to treat COVID-19. [2023]

7. China pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cellular Therapy: Shafts of Light Emerging for COVID-19. [2020]

8. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Narrative Review of Emerging Therapeutics for COVID-19. [2023]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The trade-off dilemma in pharmacotherapy of COVID-19: systematic review, meta-analysis, and implications. [2022]

10. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Vaccines and Therapies in Development for SARS-CoV-2 Infections. [2020]