We are designing and rigorously evaluating a Virtual Reality-Exposure Therapy program that focuses on decreasing anxiety in people with Epilepsy. The AnxEmu VR Study was a randomized controlled trial that was informed by our Pilot AnxEpiVR Study.

 

We recruited 14 people with epilepsy from the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Toronto Western Hospital. Participants were randomized to receive either virtual reality exposure therapy (personalized 360-degree video exposure hierarchies) twice daily for the length of their stay or to watch neutral VR videos (e.g., beach, forest scenes). We found that virtual reality exposure therapy demonstrated a high level of acceptability and potential to successfully address epilepsy-specific interictal anxiety. 

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ClinicalTrials ID: NCT06028945​​