A clinical study conducted by Brown University has shown that the combination of Virtual Reality and electric brain stimulation may result in a reduction of PTSD-related symptoms in patients, specifically, military veterans.
The study conducted with U.S. military veterans at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center showed reductions in PTSD symptoms after being exposed to the two treatments, offering a spark of hope for scientists and clinicians tackling the challenging disease:
“This is a different and innovative way of approaching treatment where we’re combining the best aspects of psychotherapy, neuroscience and brain stimulation to help people get better,” said Philip, who leads mental health research at the Providence V.A. Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology. “There’s a lot of promise here, and that offers hope.” Says Professor Noah Philip of Brown University.
Due to the difficulty of treating PTSD, especially in veterans, this study comes as a breakthrough as current medications and treatments lack effectiveness, with treatments such as exposure therapy being associated with significant side effects. Likewise, the study also showed that patients started to get better after the treatment, with the largest effect one month later:
“What we found was that people continued to get better after they were done with the treatment, and we started seeing the biggest effects one month later,” Philip said.
The study emphasizes the sophisticated nature of PTSD and the role Virtual Reality can play in relieving symptoms of suffering, showcasing the potential and power of Virtual Reality in shaping healthcare outcomes. Thus, V.R. is becoming a prominent healthcare technology and shaping its future.
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