Publications

Authors:

Benvegnù, Giulia; Perotti, Samuele; Vegher, Alessia; Chiamulera, Cristiano

Title:

Virtual Reality Environmental Enrichment Effects on Craving for Cigarette in Smokers

Year:

2025

Type of item:

Articolo in Rivista

Tipologia ANVUR:

Articolo su rivista

Language:

Inglese

Referee:

No

Name of journal:

GAMES FOR HEALTH JOURNAL

ISSN of journal:

2161-783X

N° Volume:

14

Number or Folder:

1

Page numbers:

21-28

Keyword:

Craving; Cue reactivity; Enriched environment; Smoking; Tobacco addiction; Virtual reality

Short description of contents:

: Background: Preclinical studies suggested the exposure to environmental enrichment (EE) as an intervention able to prevent or reduce nicotine-taking and nicotine-seeking behaviors. Virtual reality (VR) may help to test the effects of EE in smokers in a reproducible and feasible manner. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 31 smokers (14 women) were divided into two groups: (1) exposure to a virtual EE (VR-EE) and (2) exposure to a virtual neutral environment (VR-NoEE). Cigarette craving was assessed as basal and evoked, at different timepoints during the session. Behavior activity during VR exposure, mood, and subjective measures were also collected. Results: EE exposure in VR significantly reduced craving scores from basal timepoint. This was not observed in the VR-NoEE group, which significantly increased craving compared with values at neutral scenario. When both groups were exposed to smoking-related VR scenario, the VR-EE group showed an increased craving compared with previous timepoint up to score values not different from those in the VR-NoEE group. A significant positive correlation between basal craving scores and interactive behavior with virtual smoking cues was observed in the VR-NoEE but not in the VR-EE group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that virtual EE might have an inhibitory effect in smokers on basal, but not on evoked cigarette craving. Noteworthily, the interactive activity correlation to craving scores in the VR-NoEE participants was not observed in the VR-EE group, adding further evidence that the enrichment simulation was nonetheless able to modify behavior in the smoking-related scenario.

Note:

Epub 2024 Jul 10

Product ID:

140475

Handle IRIS:

11562/1131087

Last Modified:

February 28, 2025

Bibliographic citation:

Benvegnù, Giulia; Perotti, Samuele; Vegher, Alessia; Chiamulera, Cristiano, Virtual Reality Environmental Enrichment Effects on Craving for Cigarette in Smokers «GAMES FOR HEALTH JOURNAL» , vol. 14 , n. 1 , 2025 , pp. 21-28

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