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Bringing the Outdoors In: Virtual Nature Walks for Depression in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Patients

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years and older
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

Not stated in the study description — ask the study team about visits and procedures.

Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests whether virtual reality (VR) nature walks at home can help people with depression and progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a form of MS that gets worse over time. It uses the Apple Vision Pro to test VR alone or with usual depression care. Researchers will study how well it works and how easy it is to use, including effects on mood, stress, sleep, and tiredness.

This trial explores the use of immersive virtual reality (VR) nature-based experiences as a supplementary treatment for depression in individuals with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). This study will evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of at-home VR deployment using the Apple Vision Pro, an advanced device that offers enhanced resolution, immersion, and usability compared to earlier VR systems. The study hypotheses include: * The integration of VR nature-based experiences with standard care will be feasible, acceptable, and will result in greater reductions in depressive symptoms compared to standard care or VR-only interventions. * The integration of VR nature-based experiences with standard care will result in greater reductions in stress and anxiety, better sleep, less insomnia, and improved fatigue compared to standard care alone or VR-only interventions.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Have primary or secondary progressive MS confirmed by a nerve specialist or an MS center.
  • Have a score above 55 on the PROMIS depression survey at the start of the study.
  • Be able to agree to join after learning about the study and take part in VR sessions at home.
  • For groups 1 and 2: already receive depression care with an SSRI or SNRI antidepressant medicine, or talk therapy.

Who can't join

  • Have serious problems with thinking, memory, or eyesight that could make VR hard to use.
  • Have conditions that prevent VR use, such as fear of open or enclosed spaces, or motion sickness.
  • Are in another clinical trial focused on depression.
  • Have a severe mental health condition that needs hospital care, thoughts of suicide or wishing to be dead, or psychosis (trouble knowing what is real).
  • Have active drug or alcohol abuse, with a score above 1 on the CAGE-AID screening test.
  • Have another nerve or immune system disease covered by the study's rules.
  • Need vision correction, unless the prescription is mild (within ±1) or you have prescription contact lenses.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Confirmed diagnosis of progressive Multiple Sclerosis (MS, primary or secondary) by a neurologist or an MS center * Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Depression T-scores \>55 at baseline * Ability to provide informed consent and participate in VR sessions at home * For Some Participants (Groups 1 and 2) currently receiving antidepressant or psychotherapy treatments (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs), or psychotherapy) for the management of depression Exclusion Criteria: * Severe cognitive impairments or visual deficits that may interfere with VR use, including contraindications like agoraphobia, claustrophobia, or motion sickness * Current participation in other clinical trials targeting depression * Severe psychiatric conditions that require hospitalization, or suicidal ideation, passive or active, psychosis, or active substance and alcohol abuse (score greater than 1 on CAGE (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener) Adapted to Include Drugs (CAGE-AID)) * Another neurological or autoimmune disease per protocol * Participants that require vision correction, unless that vision correction is mild (± 1), or the participant has prescription contact lenses.

Study sites (1)

MI