Cognitive Remediation Virtual Reality Tool a Recovery-Oriented Project for People with Bipolar Disorder: Protocol of a Feasibility Randomized Clinical Trial

Cognitive deficits are considered a fundamental component of bipolar disorder due to the fact that they negatively impact personal/social functioning. Cognitive remediation interventions are effective in the treatment of various psychosocial disorders, including bipolar disorder. The use of Virtual reality as a rehabilitation tool has produced scientific evidence in recent years, especially in cardiovascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. This study aims at evaluating the feasibility of a Cognitive Remediation Virtual Reality Program (CEREBRUM) for people with bipolar disorder in psychiatric rehabilitation.

Feasibility randomized controlled cross-over clinical study; we randomized 50 people from the Consultation and Psychosomatic Psychiatry Center of the University Hospital of Cagliari (San Giovanni di Dio Civil Hospital) with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. We propose a cognitive remediation program in virtual reality (CEREBRUM), 3 months with 2 weekly sessions, for the experimental group and a usual care program for the control group (psychiatric visit and/or psychotherapy).

The results of the trial will be published in international peer-reviewed journals and will be disseminated at international meetings and congress.

This RCT aims, with regards to its feasibility and design, to provide information about a confirmatory trial that evaluates the effectiveness of a Virtual Reality Cognitive Remediation program in psychiatric rehabilitation for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in people with bipolar disorder.

The results that we analyzed at the end of the RCT will have an impact on psychiatric rehabilitation research with a focus on improving the application of technologies for mental health.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrialsgov NCT05070065, registered on September 2021.