A team of Hungarian researchers is exploring a new form of therapy to support patients with this disorder. For this, they used virtual reality with their patients and it could be that this alternative is effective.
Schizophrenia is a very complex disorder that affects approximately 24 million people worldwide. The impacts on the daily life of the people concerned are often very heavy, causing sometimes severe disabilities. A team of scientists from Semmelweis University in Budapest seeks to improve the process of patient rehabilitation with a very innovative method. It essentially aims to improve the ability to mentalize (the interpretation of one’s behavior and the behavior of others) through the use of virtual reality.
A revolutionary therapy in virtual reality
This is a first in the history of schizophrenia care. This device, called VR-ToMIS (Virtual-Reality based of Mind Intervention in Schizophrenia) was developed in collaboration with the startup vTime, which provided the software to the team of researchers. The therapeutic program consists of nine sessions in total. It starts with an introductory session to get the patients used to it so as not to rush or shock them. Thereafter, collaborative work between patients and therapists begins and takes place over eight 50-minute sessions. These sessions target in particular the sphere of social interactions.
One of the many symptoms induced by schizophrenia is a defect in the mentalizing process. This causes patients great difficulty in correctly interpreting their own emotions and those of others, as well as their thoughts. The interest of VR-ToMis lies in the fact that it immerses patients in simple everyday situations, simulated in a completely virtual way. A meeting with a new person, a date or a simple walk. The avatar that interacts with the patient is completely controlled by the therapist. This allows him to precisely target “sticking points” and flaws in the mentalizing process. The therapist voluntarily uses specific linguistic tools to help identify these weaknesses: sentences with double meanings, metaphors or irony for example.
Very promising results
The sample of patients who benefited from this testing protocol was quite small, but the overall therapeutic response to VR-ToMis suggests that this technology would be viable. Out of a total of 43 patients, 93.3% of them found this treatment technique fun. 78% perceived it as a key element in their rehabilitation process. In all, 93.3% of people judged that their communication skills had improved positively following the test.
Another very important aspect to highlight in this method is the rather remarkable adherence of patients to the therapeutic device. This is today the biggest obstacle faced by caregivers in the support and care of people with schizophrenia. For example, medication treatment – very often very heavy treatments to bear – is in some cases very difficult to maintain in the long term.
These first tests of the VR-ToMis took place in 2022 and show really engaging results. This innovative method could clearly transform the global approach that the medical profession has of this disease. The University of Semmelweis intends to have this device recognized internationally in order to generalize it and apply it to larger patient samples. A potential ray of hope for millions of people.
Sources: The Next Web, Semmelweis
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