Investigating the Role of Having an Avatar in Virtual Reality on Pain Alleviation and Embodiment in Patients With Pain Using Electroencephalogram: A Neuroimaging Protocol
Chronic Pain (CP) is prevalent in industrialized countries and stands among the top 10 causes of disability. Given the widespread problems of pharmacological treatments such as opioids, a need to find alternative therapeutic approaches has emerged. Virtual Reality (VR) has shown potential as a non-p...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Virtual Reality |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frvir.2021.775764/full |
| _version_ | 1798034346535288832 |
|---|---|
| author | Seyedeh Pegah Kiaei Ziabari Zahra Ofoghi Emma A. Rodrigues Diane Gromala Sylvain Moreno |
| author_facet | Seyedeh Pegah Kiaei Ziabari Zahra Ofoghi Emma A. Rodrigues Diane Gromala Sylvain Moreno |
| author_sort | Seyedeh Pegah Kiaei Ziabari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Chronic Pain (CP) is prevalent in industrialized countries and stands among the top 10 causes of disability. Given the widespread problems of pharmacological treatments such as opioids, a need to find alternative therapeutic approaches has emerged. Virtual Reality (VR) has shown potential as a non-pharmacological alternative for controlling pain over the past 20 years. The effectiveness of VR has been demonstrated in treating CP, and it has been suggested that VR’s analgesic effects may be associated with the Sense of Embodiment (SoE): the sensation of being inside, having and controlling a virtual body in VR. Studies have shown correlations among brain signals, reported pain and a SoE, and correlations have been observed between using an avatar in VR and pain alleviation among CP patients. However, little has been published about the changes in brain physiology associated with having an avatar in VR, and current published studies present methodological issues. Defining a proper methodology to investigate the underlying brain mechanisms of pain, a SoE associated with having an avatar in VR, and its effect on reducing pain in CP patients is key to the emerging field of VR-analgesia. Here, we propose an intervention trial design (test/intervention/test) to evaluate the effects of having a virtual avatar in VR on pain levels and SoE in CP patients using Electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. Resting-state EEG recordings, perceived pain levels, and SoE scores will be collected before and after the VR intervention. Patients diagnosed with CP will be recruited from local pain clinics and pseudo-randomly assigned to one of two groups—with or without an avatar. Patients will experience a 10-min VR intervention built to treat CP while their EEG signals are recorded. In articulating the study procedure, we propose a framework for future studies that explores the mechanisms of VR-analgesia in patients with chronic pain. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:43:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ea18f50278d54020a395a46a6a0a9a4e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-4192 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:43:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Virtual Reality |
| spelling | doaj.art-ea18f50278d54020a395a46a6a0a9a4e2022-12-22T04:04:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Virtual Reality2673-41922022-01-01210.3389/frvir.2021.775764775764Investigating the Role of Having an Avatar in Virtual Reality on Pain Alleviation and Embodiment in Patients With Pain Using Electroencephalogram: A Neuroimaging ProtocolSeyedeh Pegah Kiaei Ziabari0Zahra Ofoghi1Emma A. Rodrigues2Diane Gromala3Sylvain Moreno4The Pain Studies Lab, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, CanadaThe Pain Studies Lab, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, CanadaComputational Health Research Laboratory, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, CanadaThe Pain Studies Lab, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, CanadaComputational Health Research Laboratory, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, CanadaChronic Pain (CP) is prevalent in industrialized countries and stands among the top 10 causes of disability. Given the widespread problems of pharmacological treatments such as opioids, a need to find alternative therapeutic approaches has emerged. Virtual Reality (VR) has shown potential as a non-pharmacological alternative for controlling pain over the past 20 years. The effectiveness of VR has been demonstrated in treating CP, and it has been suggested that VR’s analgesic effects may be associated with the Sense of Embodiment (SoE): the sensation of being inside, having and controlling a virtual body in VR. Studies have shown correlations among brain signals, reported pain and a SoE, and correlations have been observed between using an avatar in VR and pain alleviation among CP patients. However, little has been published about the changes in brain physiology associated with having an avatar in VR, and current published studies present methodological issues. Defining a proper methodology to investigate the underlying brain mechanisms of pain, a SoE associated with having an avatar in VR, and its effect on reducing pain in CP patients is key to the emerging field of VR-analgesia. Here, we propose an intervention trial design (test/intervention/test) to evaluate the effects of having a virtual avatar in VR on pain levels and SoE in CP patients using Electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. Resting-state EEG recordings, perceived pain levels, and SoE scores will be collected before and after the VR intervention. Patients diagnosed with CP will be recruited from local pain clinics and pseudo-randomly assigned to one of two groups—with or without an avatar. Patients will experience a 10-min VR intervention built to treat CP while their EEG signals are recorded. In articulating the study procedure, we propose a framework for future studies that explores the mechanisms of VR-analgesia in patients with chronic pain.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frvir.2021.775764/fullvirtual realitychronic painEEGVR analgesiaembodimentavatar |
| spellingShingle | Seyedeh Pegah Kiaei Ziabari Zahra Ofoghi Emma A. Rodrigues Diane Gromala Sylvain Moreno Investigating the Role of Having an Avatar in Virtual Reality on Pain Alleviation and Embodiment in Patients With Pain Using Electroencephalogram: A Neuroimaging Protocol Frontiers in Virtual Reality virtual reality chronic pain EEG VR analgesia embodiment avatar |
| title | Investigating the Role of Having an Avatar in Virtual Reality on Pain Alleviation and Embodiment in Patients With Pain Using Electroencephalogram: A Neuroimaging Protocol |
| title_full | Investigating the Role of Having an Avatar in Virtual Reality on Pain Alleviation and Embodiment in Patients With Pain Using Electroencephalogram: A Neuroimaging Protocol |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the Role of Having an Avatar in Virtual Reality on Pain Alleviation and Embodiment in Patients With Pain Using Electroencephalogram: A Neuroimaging Protocol |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Role of Having an Avatar in Virtual Reality on Pain Alleviation and Embodiment in Patients With Pain Using Electroencephalogram: A Neuroimaging Protocol |
| title_short | Investigating the Role of Having an Avatar in Virtual Reality on Pain Alleviation and Embodiment in Patients With Pain Using Electroencephalogram: A Neuroimaging Protocol |
| title_sort | investigating the role of having an avatar in virtual reality on pain alleviation and embodiment in patients with pain using electroencephalogram a neuroimaging protocol |
| topic | virtual reality chronic pain EEG VR analgesia embodiment avatar |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frvir.2021.775764/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT seyedehpegahkiaeiziabari investigatingtheroleofhavinganavatarinvirtualrealityonpainalleviationandembodimentinpatientswithpainusingelectroencephalogramaneuroimagingprotocol AT zahraofoghi investigatingtheroleofhavinganavatarinvirtualrealityonpainalleviationandembodimentinpatientswithpainusingelectroencephalogramaneuroimagingprotocol AT emmaarodrigues investigatingtheroleofhavinganavatarinvirtualrealityonpainalleviationandembodimentinpatientswithpainusingelectroencephalogramaneuroimagingprotocol AT dianegromala investigatingtheroleofhavinganavatarinvirtualrealityonpainalleviationandembodimentinpatientswithpainusingelectroencephalogramaneuroimagingprotocol AT sylvainmoreno investigatingtheroleofhavinganavatarinvirtualrealityonpainalleviationandembodimentinpatientswithpainusingelectroencephalogramaneuroimagingprotocol |