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Cited by 212Virtual Reality Applications and ImpactsSubstance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesGambling Behavior and Treatments

Virtual Reality (VR) in Assessment and Treatment of Addictive Disorders: A Systematic Review

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Segawa, Tomoyuki, Baudry, Thomas, Bourla, Alexis, Blanc, Jean-Victor, Peretti, Charles-Siegfried, Mouchabac, Stephane, Ferreri, Florian·2020·Frontiers in Neuroscience
DOI 10.3389/fnins.2019.01409PMC PMC6965009
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Abstract

Background: Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and behavioral addictions are common and require a multidisciplinary approach. New technologies like Virtual Reality could have the potential to improve assessment and treatment of these disorders. Objective: In the present paper, we therefore present an overview of Virtual Reality (Head Mounted Devices) in the field of addiction medicine for craving assessment and for treatment. Method: We conducted a systematic review by querying PubMed database for the titles of articles published up to March 2019 with the terms [virtual] AND [addictive] OR [addiction] OR [substance] OR [alcohol] OR [cocaine] OR [cannabis] OR [opioid] OR [tobacco] OR [nicotine] OR [methamphetamine] OR [gaming] OR [gambling] Results: We screened 319 abstracts and analyzed 37 articles, dividing them into two categories, the first for assessment of cue reactivity (craving, psychophysiological response and attention to cue) and the second for intervention, each drug (nicotine, cocaine, alcohol, cannabis, gambling) being detailed within each category. Conclusions: This overview suggest that VR provide benefits in the assessment and treatment of substance use disorders and behavior addictions and achieve high levels of ecological validity. While, craving provocation in VR is effective across addiction disorders, treatments based exclusively on virtual exposure to drug related cues as shown heterogenous result.

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  • VR therapies have benefits for the assessment and management of substance abuse disorders, but their effectiveness as an exclusive treatment needs proper evaluation.

    “Analyzes have reaffirmed the benefits for the assessment and management of these disorders, but also highlight the need for proper evaluation of the effectiveness of VR therapies as an exclusive treatment (Segawa et al., 2020).”

    From Virtual reality and psychedelics for the treatment of psychiatric disease: A systematic literature review (2020) · cites this paper as Segawa et al., 2020

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References 68 · Cited by 212

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Authors
Segawa, T., Baudry, T., Bourla, A., Blanc, J.-V., Peretti, C.-S., Mouchabac, S., & Ferreri, F.
Affiliations
Sorbonne Université (FR)
Corresponding author
Bourla, Alexis
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Neuroscience
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2020-01-10
Volume
13
Pages
1409-1409
ISSN
1662-453X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fnins.2019.01409
PMC
PMC6965009
OpenAlex
W2994677306
Cited by
212
References
68
Citations by year
2026: 27 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 7
FWCI
3.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
Keywords
virtual reality, substance use disorders, behavioral addiction, craving assessment, cue reactivity, virtual reality exposure therapy, head-mounted devices, alcohol craving, nicotine craving, cocaine craving, cannabis craving, opioid craving, gambling addiction, psychophysiological responses, ecological validity

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