Recruiting
Phase 1

AUD with VR

Sponsor:

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Code:

NCT06860607

Conditions

Alcohol Use Disorder

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 21 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Evaluate the effects of Environmental Enrichment (EE) on alcohol consumption

Study Details

Brief summary:

Background:

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic disease that causes more than 140,000 US deaths each year. AUD treatment often includes therapy and medication. Some people with AUD may also benefit from behavioral and lifestyle changes.

Objective:

To evaluate the effects of different activities and environments on drinking behaviors and mental health in people with AUD.

Eligibility:

People aged 21 years and older with AUD.

Design:

Participants will have up to 10 study visits in Baltimore.

Participants will have a baseline visit. They will have a physical exam with blood and urine tests. They will have a breath test for alcohol and a test that measures body composition. They will answer questions about their alcohol and substance use; mental and physical health; mood and anxiety; and sleep quality.

Participants will download an app called MetricWire. The app will send 3 sets of questions to be answered at different times throughout the day.

The study visits will include 2 stages:

1. Active stage. On these visits, participants will use a virtual reality system called the Meta Quest Pro (MQP) as they choose. Then they may choose among video games, puzzles, books, crafts, and other activities.. These sessions will last for 3 hours.
2. Passive stage. On these visits, participants will watch videos selected by the research team. These sessions will last for 3 hours.

On the last visit of each stage, participants will sit in a room that looks like a bar. They will answer questions about their cravings, their urge to drink, and how many drinks they would buy. Participants will be served 1 drink containing alcohol. They will be asked about their cravings and subjective effects of alcohol after drinking it.

Conditions

Alcohol Use Disorder

Study ID

NCT06860607

Start date

Sep 14, 2026

Status verified date

Aug 10, 2026

Completion date

Mar 1, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Mar 1, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 21 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:

To meet eligibility for this study, participants must meet all the following criteria:

1. At least 21 years old
2. Owns a cellular device ("smart phone") and is willing to download the EMA application and use it to answer the study questionnaires
3. Diagnosis of alcohol use disorder (minimum of 2 DSM-5 criteria on a valid diagnostic tool, e.g., Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) or the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID))
4. Self-reported drinking, according to alcohol Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB), of > 7 drinks per week for females or > 14 drinks per week for males, on average, during the 28-day period prior to screening + at least four days with > 3 drinks for females or > 4 drinks for males during the 28-day period prior to screening
5. Most recent Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol - revised (CIWA-Ar) score < 10
6. If a female of childbearing potential: not pregnant or breastfeeding, no intention to become pregnant during the study duration, and agrees to use a highly effective contraception method to prevent pregnancy for the entire study duration. Highly effective contraception methods will be determined by the MAI or designee.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Any individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from this study:

1. Current use of FDA-approved pharmacotherapy for AUD (or of a medication intended as an off-label use to treat AUD as determined by the MAI), or currently seeking treatment for AUD
2. Medical and/or mental health conditions that are clinically unstable and would therefore compromise the safety and/or scientific integrity of the study, as determined by the MAI or study team respectively.
3. Known history of clinically significant cybersickness.
4. Any other reason or clinical condition that the Investigators judge would interfere with study participation and/or be unsafe for a participant
5. Unable to speak, read, write, and understand English

Justification: Many of the assessments have only been validated in English, and therefore, a non-English translation would jeopardize the scientific integrity of the study.

Study Design

Enrollment

44 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Other

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

other: Subject with alcohol use disorder

subjects (Female/ Male) aged 21 and up

Interventions

Evaluate the effects of Environmental Enrichment (EE) on alcohol consumption

This study investigates how different environments and activities affect alcohol consumption and related outcomes.

Primary outcome measure

  • Evaluate the effects of EE on alcohol consumption [ Time Frame: 1-3 months for each participant ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

National Institute on Drug Abuse

Recruiting

Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21224

Contacts

More Information

Sponsor

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Last update posted

Sep 9, 2026

Last verified

Aug 10, 2026

Keywords

  • Alcohol Use Disorder

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) on 2026-09-09.