Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2024 Aug 13. doi: 10.1007/s11894-024-00940-w.Online ahead of print.

Karisma K Suchak ^1 2, Christopher V Almario ^3 4 5, Omer Liran ^3 4 6, Robert Chernoff ⁶, Brennan R Spiegel ^3 4 5

Author information

¹Division of Health Sciences Research, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Health System, Pacific Theatre Building 116 N. Robertson Blvd, Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA. karisma.suchak@cshs.org.

²Cedars-Sinai Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CS-CORE), Los Angeles, CA, USA. karisma.suchak@cshs.org.

³Division of Health Sciences Research, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Health System, Pacific Theatre Building 116 N. Robertson Blvd, Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA.

⁴Cedars-Sinai Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CS-CORE), Los Angeles, CA, USA.

⁵Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

⁶Cedars-Sinai Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction that significantly impacts health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This article explores the potential role of virtual reality (VR)-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating patients with IBS.

Recent findings: While CBT is a proven, skills-based therapy approach that modifies behaviors and alters dysfunctional thinking patterns to influence the gut-brain axis and improve IBS symptoms, it is rarely prescribed given a paucity of CBT-trained clinicians. We developed a novel VR program that delivers a standardized CBT program over an 8-week period to help patients manage their symptoms. In initial qualitative validation testing, patients expressed positive perceptions about using VR CBT for IBS. Home-based, standardized VR CBT has the potential to be an effective and scalable treatment option for patients with IBS. While initial studies have shown proof-of-concept definitive randomized controlled trials are needed to demonstrate the efficacy of self-administered VR CBT in IBS.