Designing Real-Time EEG and ECG Integration for VR-Based Exposure Therapy: A User Study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Anxiety and food aversion disorders require innovative therapeutic strategies.
• Virtual Reality (VR) offers immersive environments for exposure therapy.
• Integrating biosignals can enhance the personalization of therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess neurophysiological engagement during VR-based exposure therapy using integrated EEG and ECG signals.
• To evaluate the feasibility of real-time integration of biosignals for adaptive therapeutic interventions.
• To investigate neural habituation as a biomarker for treatment efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Integration of electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG) signals.
• Utilized a VR-based serious game for exposure therapy.
• Real-time data acquisition and analysis of neurophysiological responses.

Main Results:

• Consistent detection of EEG biomarkers, specifically the N200 component, indicating neural habituation during VR tasks.
• EEG data demonstrated reliable capture of cognitive adaptation to repeated stimuli.
• ECG signals encountered motion-related artifacts, highlighting challenges in signal acquisition.

Conclusions:

• The integration of multimodal biosignals (primarily EEG) in VR-based exposure therapy is feasible and effective.
• EEG biomarkers provide evidence for neural habituation, supporting real-time neurofeedback.
• This approach advances patient-centered, adaptive, and personalized therapeutic strategies for anxiety and food aversion disorders.