Virtual reality (VR) is a valuable tool in exposure treatment of panic disorder (PD). In virtual environments the patients experience similar physiological, psychic and somatic changes as in real life situations facilitating the habituation process. OBJECTIVE: We intend to divulge the current panorama of VR in treatment of PD. METHOD: The literature on VR treatment for PD was revised with a systematic methodology in the PubMed database, using the keywords: virtual reality and panic disorder. RESULTS: Virtual exposure treatment of PD usually shows good results and a great patient acceptability. Only a few studies measure physiological responses during the exposure despite the importance of these data for evaluation of the treatment effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Although the VR treatment for PD usefulness is clear in the trials, a lack of controlled studies and standardized treatment protocols are verified.
Panic disorder; cognitive-behavior therapy; virtual reality; exposure therapy