NCT06787794 Reducing Itch With Hypnosis and Virtual Reality
| NCT ID | NCT06787794 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | Universiteit Leiden |
| Condition | ITCH |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 30 participants |
| Start Date | 2025-01-31 |
| Primary Completion | 2026-12-31 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
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What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 30 participants in total. It began in 2025-01-31 with a primary completion date of 2026-12-31.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
Chronic itch is a disabling condition with currently limited treatment options. Virtual reality (VR) is a relatively new approach that provides immersion in another environment and has been shown to have a temporary itch mitigating potential. Hypnosis, which is a state of relaxation, has been successfully applied with more long-term treatment effects in the specific case of itch as a result of severe atopic dermatitis. However, hypnosis tends to depend on an individual's susceptibility, or ease, to come into a hypnotic state. A combination of VR and hypnosis (VRH) has been put forward since it may combine the longer lasting effects of hypnosis with VR making the hypnosis more accessible by facilitating imagination. Even though VRH is a promising avenue, it has never been investigated in the context of itch. In this randomized controlled trial, comparing a VRH treatment with a waiting list control group after 6 sessions and at follow-up, it is aimed to assess the effectiveness of VRH in reducing itch along with its psychological burden in adult individuals with therapy-resistant disabling itch.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Participants must be adults (aged 18-80 years) * Participants must have been suffering from chronic pruritus of any origin for at least 1 year prior to inclusion in this study * Participants must have been seen by a physician for the itch * Participants must experience psychological and/or functional impairment due to the itch despite standard medical treatment. * Participants must speak and understand Dutch and be able to complete questionnaires. Exclusion Criteria: * Severe psychiatric comorbidities irrelated to their itch condition such as psychosis or severe clinical depression or anxiety disorder (anxiety and depressive symptoms in itself are common in individuals with chronic symptoms and therefore no reason for exclusion); * History of seizures; * History of severe migraine; * Severe susceptibility to motion sickness; * Balance problems; * Face, head, or neck injury; * Visual or audiological impairment; * Pacemaker, defibrillator and/or other electronic (implantable) device of vital importance; * Pregnancy; * Lactation; * Participation in another interventional itch study.
Contact & Investigator
Antoinette I.M. van Laarhoven, PhD
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Leiden University, Health Medical and Neuropsychology Unit
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT06787794 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 80 Years, studying ITCH. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT06787794 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT06787794 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at a.vanlaarhoven@fsw.leidenuniv.nl for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT06787794 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Leiden, Netherlands.
Who is sponsoring the NCT06787794 clinical trial?
NCT06787794 is sponsored by Universiteit Leiden. The principal investigator is Antoinette I.M. van Laarhoven, PhD at Leiden University, Health Medical and Neuropsychology Unit. The trial plans to enroll 30 participants.