AI-Enhanced Virtual Reality CBT to Reduce Anxiety for IBD Patients
Official title: AI-Enhanced Virtual Reality Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Anxiety and Improve Quality of Life in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Multicenter Pilot and Feasibility Study
Funded at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · NIH-11415875 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A home-based VR and AI-powered cognitive behavioral therapy program is being tested to help people with inflammatory bowel disease feel less anxious and improve their quality of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $332,410 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK144719-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415875 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with inflammatory bowel disease and clinically significant anxiety, who have access to home VR technology.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without anxiety or without access to the required home VR setup may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will test an 8-week, home-based VR/AI CBT program against a sham VR control in adults with inflammatory bowel disease who also have anxiety. Participants will use a self-guided, immersive therapy delivered through virtual reality, with AI components to tailor the experience, across two major U.S. centers. The study is a pilot randomized controlled trial designed to assess feasibility and preliminary clinical impact on anxiety, health-related quality of life, and potentially inflammatory biomarkers. If feasible and beneficial, the approach could offer scalable, accessible mental health support for IBD patients, including those in rural or underserved areas. The study follows an established behavioral treatment development framework (ORBIT) to move from development to pilot testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with IBD and anxiety could have a scalable, home-based therapy option to improve mood and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in VR-based therapies for anxiety shows promise, and this study builds on that with AI-enhancement in a specific patient group.
Where this research is happening
-
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Spiegel, Brennan — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Spiegel, Brennan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Doula support to improve mood and anxiety health for rural mothers
A rural-focused program tests whether birth doulas can boost confidence, support, and maternal health for new mothers with mood and anxiety concerns.
-
Understanding how heavy drinking and anxiety relate in emerging adults
This grant studies how heavy alcohol use and anxiety symptoms interact in young adults (ages 18–34) and what biological stress markers might reveal about that relationship.
-
AI-enhanced virtual reality tool to support remote emergency brain surgery training in Tanzania
A new AI-powered virtual reality tool helps non-experts in low-resource areas get real-time remote guidance for emergency traumatic brain injury surgery.
-
Molecular and brain circuits linked to anxiety disorders
A researcher is studying a specific brain circuit to understand what drives anxiety and how it could be treated for people with anxiety disorders.
-
Expressive Writing to Help Sexual Minority Veterans with Depression and Anxiety
A brief writing program to help sexual minority veterans feel less depression and anxiety.
-
Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy for Veterans with Social Anxiety and PTSD Symptoms
A clinical trial tests whether a flexible brain-behavior therapy helps veterans with social anxiety and PTSD symptoms feel better and engage more in daily life.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.