TOPLINE:

Use of virtual reality (VR)-based interventions was associated with significantly reduced cravings among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs), especially illicit drug use disorder, a new systematic review and meta-analysis showed. The most beneficial interventions were those that combined VR cue exposure with neutral environments, included more than seven sessions, and had each session last no longer than 60 minutes.

METHODOLOGY:

• A systematic review and meta-analysis included more than 500 participants with SUDs from nine international randomized controlled trials.
• Studies included individuals with illicit drug use disorders (three studies), alcohol use disorder (four studies), and nicotine use disorder (two studies).
• About half of the participants (intervention group) received VR-based interventions including VR cue exposure therapy or VR cue exposure combined with neutral environment exposure. The other half (control group) received conventional treatment or standard care.
• The primary outcome was change in craving intensity, assessed using subjective self-report scales. Subgroup analyses evaluated the types of intervention and SUDs and the number and duration of sessions.

TAKEAWAY:

• The intervention group had significantly reduced craving compared with the control group (standardized mean difference [SMD], -0.52; P < .05), representing a moderate effect size with heterogeneity.
• Subgroup analyses showed that VR interventions were more effective in participants with illicit drug use disorders (SMD, -0.61; P < .001) than in those with alcohol (SMD, -0.23) or nicotine (SMD, -0.41) use disorders.
• VR interventions involving more than seven sessions were linked to a significant reduction in craving (SMD, -0.60; P = .002), whereas interventions including up to seven sessions showed no statistically significant association; sessions lasting less than 60 minutes showed significant benefit (SMD, -0.61; P < .001), whereas those lasting 60 minutes or longer did not.
• VR cue exposure combined with neutral environment exposure was associated with significantly reduced craving levels (SMD, -0.61; P < .001), but VR cue exposure therapy alone did not yield significant effects.

IN PRACTICE:

“The existing evidence indicates that VR technology holds considerable promise as an intervention strategy for substance use disorder,” the investigators of the study wrote.

“Additional large-scale, high-quality randomized controlled trials are urgently needed to further establish its clinical efficacy, optimize intervention parameters, and clarify the specific populations most likely to benefit from VR-based therapeutic approaches,” they added.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Jiayi Li, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China. It was published online on June 02 in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

LIMITATIONS:

Substantial heterogeneity existed in the outcome measures used to assess craving across the included studies, with all studies relying predominantly on subjective self-report scales rather than objective physiologic indicators. In addition, the included trials lacked long-term outcome data.

DISCLOSURES:

The study received no funding, and the investigators reported having no relevant conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.