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22/01/2018

Virtual reality improves treatment of patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

ramos_quiroga_vodafone_884

22/01/2018

From a year ago, Vall d'Hebron offers treatment with virtual reality to patients who suffer from it in the context of a randomized and controlled study.

Vodafone, Pisous, Vall d'Hebron Hospital and Sant Joan de Déu Hospital presented the first results of a clinical trial carried out using virtual reality and applied to patients with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.Mental health is a major problem: it is estimated that one of every four people in the world will suffer from a mental disorder throughout his life. Despite this, it remains quite unknown to the public, and there is a stigma surrounding people suffering mental disorders. The project was created by Vodafone and Psious who, with the aim of providing professionals with new and better tools, have come together to facilitate the use of Virtual Reality in hospitals where certain mental disorders are treated. Advances in the application of new technologies in health, and more particularly in the treatment of mental disorders, make it possible to focus on existing therapies and improve the patients' experience and/or the efficiency of the mentioned therapies.The solution of Virtual reality developed by Psious and used in this project is very simple. With Virtual Reality glasses, a mobile app, and a web platform, the treatment of anxiety disorders through gradual exposure is performed, the most commonly used therapy in the treatment of these pathologies by cognitive behavioural therapists (CBT). The patient is immersed in a Virtual Reality environment, while the therapist controls its experience from the web platform to adapt it to their needs and their condition.Vodafone provides high security connectivity, through its latest generation networks, which guarantees the privacy of the treatments and the success of the connections at the moment of their application with the patient. In addition, the operator provides the virtual reality glasses used in therapies.Clinical application in children and adults From a year ago, the Department of Psychiatry of the Vall d'Hebron Hospital led by Dr. Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga, an expert in the treatment of attention Deficit and hyperactivity (ADHD) disorder in adults, offers treatment with virtual reality to patients who suffer from it in the context of a randomized and controlled study. Dr. Ramos Quiroga is also head of the research group in http://es.vhir.org/portal1/grup-equip.asp?s=recerca&contentid=186872 Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addictions of the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR).The treatment developed in the study consists of certain sessions of Mindfulness applied with virtual reality, in an immersive way. Such was the acceptance of the new technique that currently these patients can be made part of the treatment from home thanks to virtual reality, thus reducing the number of visits that must be made to the hospital. Although data in this regard is still being picked up, there has been a lower rate of abandonment that with other treatments and that the patients are more motivated and predisposed to treatment.At the Sant Joan de Déu hospital in Barcelona, this same treatment is being applied in children (ADHD affects more than 5% of children in the world) to obtain conclusions and integrate them into a study. This important project, which has received different awards and European funds, allows to collect data that will compare the results of treatment with virtual reality in people with ADHD to drug treatment and thus determine if teaching and apply Mindfulness has similar or better effects than taking drugs.

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