Can Virtual Reality Help Treat PTSD as Effectively as Traditional Exposure Therapy?

What you need to know

• Both virtual reality exposure therapy and traditional exposure therapy are effective treatments for combat-related PTSD
• Virtual reality therapy may work better for patients who also have depression
• Treatment selection could be improved by considering whether a patient has depression and certain genetic factors

The Promise of Virtual Reality for PTSD Treatment

Imagine being able to face your traumatic memories in a controlled, virtual environment, guided by a therapist who can adjust the intensity of the experience in real-time. This is the promise of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) for PTSD. While traditional exposure therapy has helped many people recover from trauma, some patients find it difficult to engage with or visualize their traumatic memories. Virtual reality offers a new pathway for treatment that may be particularly helpful for certain patients.

A Groundbreaking Comparison Study

In the largest study of its kind, researchers compared virtual reality exposure therapy to traditional prolonged exposure therapy (PE) in 192 military personnel with combat-related PTSD. The study also tested whether adding a medication called D-cycloserine (DCS) could enhance the effects of either treatment. DCS is thought to help the brain learn and remember new, less fearful associations during therapy.

Key Findings About Treatment Effectiveness

Both types of therapy led to meaningful improvements in PTSD symptoms. However, an interesting pattern emerged when looking at patients who also had depression. Those with depression showed greater improvement with virtual reality exposure therapy, while those without depression did better with traditional exposure therapy. This suggests that having depression could be an important factor in choosing which type of therapy might work best for someone.

The Role of Genetics in Treatment Response

The researchers also looked at whether certain genetic variations might affect how well people responded to treatment. They found that people with specific variants of genes called BDNF and FAAH showed different patterns of improvement. While these findings are preliminary, they suggest that genetic factors might help predict which treatments will work best for different individuals.

What This Means for You

If you or someone you know is seeking treatment for PTSD:

• Both virtual reality and traditional exposure therapy are proven effective treatments
• If you also have depression, virtual reality therapy might be particularly helpful
• Don’t be discouraged if one type of therapy doesn’t work - another approach might be more effective
• Consider discussing with your healthcare provider how your individual characteristics might influence which treatment would work best for you

Conclusions

• The study provides strong evidence that both virtual reality and traditional exposure therapy can effectively treat combat-related PTSD
• Having depression may influence which type of therapy works better for an individual
• Future treatments may be increasingly personalized based on individual characteristics including genetic factors