Researchers have developed a virtual reality-based system that shows promise in improving the differentiation between common mental health conditions, potentially paving the way for earlier and more personalized treatment. The work is published in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology.
The researchers recruited 100 participants, including individuals with bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and healthy controls.
Participants were exposed to various immersive virtual reality scenarios designed to elicit emotional and physiological responses, such as a video of a crying baby, a discussion in a canteen, and a cramped elevator scenario. The researchers measured emotional responses and skin conductivity during these scenarios.
Their results indicate that these responses differed systematically between diagnostic groups, suggesting that this approach has the potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy.
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