News in brief

The quality of life is significantly reduced in chronic pain. The therapy is usually carried out with painkillers which expose patients to an increased risk of drug-related side effects. Studies have shown in patients with chronic pain (fibromyalgia) that the use of VR has a positive effect comparable to that of psychotherapeutic treatment. The experience of being present in a VR environment can reduce pain perception and is reflected in a measurable change in brain activity patterns in the electroencephalogram (EEG).

The VirtualNoPain project investigated, if and how this pain-relieving VR effect can be enhanced by the patients themselves by influencing their EEG activity patterns via neurofeedback. The BCI required for this purpose has been integrated by Brain Products into a VR system. A compact prototype with easy handling has been created. In a small clinical study the effectivity and efficiency of the developed VR-BCI-solution has been demonstrated. In the future, the device could enable patients to take more responsibility for their own activities and have a positive influence on the course of the disease.

The 3.5 year project was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The coordinating institution was the German SME VTplus. Other partners, besides Brain Products, were the ZTM Bad Kissingen, the University Würzburg and the Universitätsklinikum Würzburg.

Further information is available here.

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