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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT06871423

The Effect of Virtual Reality on Pain and Memory.

The effect of Virtual Reality on pain and memory.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy Adult Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Washington

Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States

About this study

The primary outcome measure was the participants' accuracy of remembering the pattern of a total of five pain stimuli per set. Using the Quantitative Sensory Testing "method of limits", each participant selected a temperature they found "painful but tolerable" that they were willing to receive several more times, later in the study. They then received a sequence of five brief stimuli to their wrist, with a brief inter-stimulus interval between each stimulus.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • must be English speaking (but English does not necessarily need to be native/first language).
  • must be willing to follow our UW approved instructions,

Exclusion criteria

  • Not capable of indicating pain intensity
  • Not capable of filling out study measures
  • Non-English-speaking
  • Extreme susceptibility to motion sickness
  • Seizure history
  • Unusual sensitivity or lack of sensitivity to pain
  • Sensitive skin
  • sensitive feet
  • migraines
  • cold symptoms
  • Diabetes
  • Or if you are under 18 years old

Treatment and study plan

Distraction

Behavioral

distraction via virtual reality game named "Waltz of the Wizards" aka magic bowl.

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain Memory Recall Test

    Time frame: After each brief pain stimulus set, participants performed a brief distractor task before completing the Pain Memory Recall Test. The Pain Memory Recall Test was completed within 5 minutes after each brief thermal stimulus set.

    After each brief thermal stimulus set, participants were asked to recall the exact pattern of the most recent sequence of 5 brief thermal stimuli, recalled in exact order, via our five question "pain memory recall test" (min = 0%, max -= 100% correct). Lower % correct scores mean less accurate memory (poorer outcome).

  2. Participants subjective rating of the accuracy of their memory for painful stimuli

    Time frame: measured within 10 minutes after each pain stimulus set

    Using a graphic rating scale, on a scale from zero (min) to 10 (max), participants rated how accurately they could remember their pain during No Virtual Reality vs during Virtual Reality. Higher scores indicated higher accuracy and more positive outcome.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Presence ratings using Graphic Rating Scales

    Time frame: measured within 10 minutes after participant was in virtual reality

    Participants rated their illusion of "being there" in the computer generated world, as if it was a place they were visiting, on a scale from zero to 10, where zero = none at all and 10 = "completely there".

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Washington

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Magic Bowl VR Analgesia

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Mar 12, 2025
Registry last updated
Mar 13, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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