Craving assessment using virtuaL reaLity techniques in methamphetamine abuse patients
Tan Haoye
Chen Tianzhen
Zhu Youwei
Du Jiang
Jiang Haifeng
Song Weidong
Xu Ding
Zhao Min
Abstract：Objectives? To deveLop a virtuaL reaLity (VR) tooL to assess the cue-induced craving in methamphetamine (MA) patients and to expLore the mechanism of cue-reactivity in autonomic nerves system and cortex. Methods? MA cue enriched and neutraL VR environment is created with a panoramic camera and dispLayed in the VR headset. A totaL of 20 MA patients were recruited. They received VR exposure whiLe being monitored for skin conductance, puLse rate and eLectroencephaLogram (EEG). Craving was assessed by a seLf-report measure and information about substance abuse history were coLLected. ResuLts? Patients' skin conductance significantLy increased from (7.44±3.76) μS to (7.87±3.97) μS in MA cue enriched VR environment compared with neutraL exposure (P=0.018). The activation of dorsoLateraL prefrontaL, frontopoLar and orbitaL frontaL cortex significantLy decreased by 0.41,0.51 and 0.49 dBμV2/m2, respectiveLy (t=2.594, P＜0.05). ConcLusions? The findings in this piLot study have reveaLed the patients' psychophysicaL and cortex reaction to the MA cue enriched VR environment, which might be reLated to the mesocorticoLimbic reward circuit and the executive controL circuit.
Keywords：ELectroencephaLography? Methamphetamine? VirtuaL reaLity? Craving? Skin conductance
Publication Date：2019-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 118-123 )