Using Virtual Reality to Enhance Ketamine Therapy Effectiveness for Treatment Resistant Depression (VRKet)

Last updated 2024-03-27T13:57:43Z

Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) can be a life threatening condition, at times leaving victims with little to no hope. Ketamine is delivered with one of three routes, intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), or intranasal. The medication has many potential side effects, including physiologic changes (heart rate and blood pressure), but most notably, dissociation. Dissociation give the patient an “out of body” experience, which is thought to provide the patient with a different perception of their life, trauma, or causes of depression. The goal is to enhance the response to Ketamine therapy for TRD with the use of pre-treatment Virtual Reality (VR) meditation. This intervention has provided patients the opportunity to modify their environment and mental state to prepare for the treatment.

After 104 sessions completed by 14 patients, we have found an average of 12% improvement in the adopted mood scale (10 point Likert Scale ranging from 0, no depression, to 10, the worst depression ever experienced), and a 4% improvement in the PHQ9 scale. VR- based meditation immerses the patient in a virtual environment which decreases negative stimulation and distractions. The meditation provides instruction on breathing techniques that decrease stress and anxiety, and provides positive, affirming dialogue.