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Effect of Psychedelic VR-augmented Therapy on Patients With Clinical Depression

NCT06174285 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 45

Last updated 2025-03-25

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Research has demonstrated that psychedelic compounds possess significant therapeutic potential for a variety of disorders, including depression. Despite these findings, the underlying mechanisms driving the therapeutic efficacy of psychedelics remain elusive. Furthermore, there exists a debate over the contribution of the subjective psychedelic experience to their therapeutic benefits. In this study, virtual reality (VR) is utilized as a tool to replicate the subjective experiences induced by psychedelics, aiming to explore their impact on depressive symptoms within a clinical sample.

The primary objective of this research is to examine the influence of psychedelic-like phenomenology, as simulated through VR, on depressive symptoms. The study is structured into two distinct arms: the experimental condition features 'Psyrreal,' a VR experience designed to emulate psychedelic effects and the control condition which includes 'Routine Realms,' an analogous VR experience devoid of psychedelic elements. A third waiting list condition may be included, dependent on the availability of sufficient participants and resources. Additionally, the study seeks to identify and analyze various potential mediators that might underpin the therapeutic outcomes observed.

Conditions

Interventions

OTHER

Therapeutic Intervention with Psychedelic Virtual Reality

A 55-minute immersive psychedelic virtual reality experience is incorporated into a therapeutic intervention, comprising a preparatory phase and a subsequent integration session based on the individual's experience.

OTHER

Therapeutic Intervention with Non-Psychedelic Virtual Reality

A 55-minute immersive virtual reality experience is incorporated into a therapeutic intervention, comprising a preparatory phase and a subsequent integration session based on the individual's experience.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Confido Medical Centre

    collaborator UNKNOWN

  • University of Tartu

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Jaan Aru, PhD · University of Tartu

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-11-06
Primary Completion
2026-06-30
Completion
2026-06-30

Countries

  • Estonia

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06174285 on ClinicalTrials.gov