Virtual Iraq: Initial Results from a VR Exposure Therapy Application for Combat-Related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Date issued
2008
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Václav Skala - UNION Agency
Abstract
The 'Virtual Iraq' VR environment is designed to be an immersive tool foruse as an Exposure Therapy treatment
tool for combat related PTSD. The application consists of a series of virtual scenarios designed to represent
relevant contexts for VR exposure therapy, including city and desert road environments. In addition to the visual
stimuli presented in the VR HMD, directional 3D audio, vibrotactile and olfactory stimuli of relevance can be
delivered. Stimulus presentation is controlled by the clinician via a separate 'wizard of oz'; interface, with the
clinician in full audio contact with the patient. The presentation at the conference will detail the results of our
research and clinical treatment protocols as they stand at that time. Presently, an open clinical trial to evaluate
our system’s efficacy for PTSD treatment with military personnel is being conducted at the Naval Medical
Center San Diego and at Ft. Lewis, Washington, and a randomized controlled trial comparing VR alone and
VRcycloserine is in progress at Emory University. Ten other test sites are now on line between now and the
conference addressing a variety of research questions involving assessment of PTSD, physiological markers of
the disorder, impact of multiple trauma events, and an fMRI study. Thus far, eight male and female treatment
completers (out of 11) at two of the treatment sites have shown clinically significant improvements at posttreatment,
with these patients now no longer meeting PTSD criteria. Due to the challenges for treatment of this
disorder, we are encouraged by these early results.
Description
Subject(s)
virtuální realita, virtuální prostředí, expoziční terapie, posttraumatická stresová porucha
Citation
WSCG '2008: Full Papers: The 16-th International Conference in Central Europe on Computer Graphics, Visualization and Computer Vision in co-operation with EUROGRAPHICS, University of West Bohemia Plzen, Czech Republic, February 4 - 7, 2008, p. i.