Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy to study effects of virtual reality intervention for adolescents with depression in a clinical setting in China: study protocol for a prospective, randomised, controlled trial

Dec 15, 2023BMJ open

Using brain oxygen monitoring to study virtual reality treatment for depressed teenagers in a Chinese clinic: plan for a controlled trial

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Abstract

Sixty-six adolescents aged 12-18 with depression will participate in a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality intervention.

Participants will be divided into two groups: one receiving virtual reality treatment and the other receiving conventional treatment.
The virtual reality group will engage in three 20-minute sessions per week focused on attention, executive function, and relaxation.
Primary outcomes will assess changes in depressive symptoms, while secondary outcomes will include anxiety symptoms and executive function.
Data on treatment effects will be collected at three time points: preintervention, immediately postintervention, and at 4 weeks follow-up.
will be used to measure haemoglobin changes associated with the intervention.

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INTRODUCTION: Adolescent depression has been shown to be associated with many devastating psychosocial outcomes. However, there are many barriers that may prevent depressed individuals from receiving specialised treatment. Virtual reality (VR) technology has shown promise as one avenue for overcoming these challenges. This study first aims to evaluate the effectiveness of VR intervention on adolescent depression symptoms, and second, to determine the intervention's underlying mechanism of effect using (fNIRS).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a single-centre, prospective, randomised controlled clinical trial. Sixty-six eligible adolescents aged 12-18 years with a diagnosis of depression will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to either the VR treatment group or the conventional treatment group. All patients for both groups will receive usual treatment during a 4-week intervention period. In addition, patients randomised to VR treatment group (n=33) will complete three 20 min VR sessions including attention, executive function and relaxation training per week. Moreover, 33 healthy adolescents will be recruited as the general population. Primary outcome (ie, depressive symptoms) and secondary outcomes (ie, anxiety symptoms, executive function, treatment emergent symptoms, haemoglobin changes measured by fNIRS) will be collected at preintervention, immediately postintervention and at 4 weeks follow-up. The data assessor and analyst will be blinded to group membership.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of Lishui Second People's Hospital. Written informed consent will be obtained for all participants. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, national or international conference presentations, media outlets, the internet and various community activities.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2300067747.

Key numbers

Participant Count

Participants aged 12-18 with diagnosed depression.

VR Sessions

Each session focuses on attention, executive function, and relaxation training.

4 weeks

Follow-up Duration

Follow-up assessments will measure changes in depressive symptoms.

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Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy to study effects of virtual reality intervention for adolescents with depression in a clinical setting in China: study protocol for a prospective, randomised, controlled trial

Abstract

Key numbers

Full Text

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