Alcohol Use DisorderOLFA-VRNCT07667790
Effects of Olfactory Stimuli in Virtual Reality Cue Exposure on Craving and Attentional Bias in Alcohol Use Disorder
A study testing VR-CE in people with Alcohol Use Disorder, run by Charite University, Berlin, Germany at 1 site in Germany.
Trial summary
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent and burdensome clinical condition with high relapse rates. A central risk factor for relapse is craving for alcohol-often accompanied by an attentional bias toward alcohol-related stimuli-which can be evoked by both real-world and virtual stimuli in immersive virtual reality… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Alcohol Use Disorder
- What is being tested?
- VR-CE
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteGermany
- Study dates
- 15 Nov 2026to Jul 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- age between 18-65 years
- diagnosis of alcohol dependence according to ICD-10 (F10.2)
- complete inpatient detoxification within the last three months
- history of alcohol craving
- capacity to provide written informed consent
Who cannot join
- substance dependences other than alcohol or nicotine
- current alcohol intoxication (tested by random breath-alcohol measurements)
- alcohol abstinence less than 7 days or on-going alcohol consumption
- severe neuropsychiatric disorder (e.g. schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar affective disorder or substantial cognitive impairment)
- severe medical conditions affecting brain or heart function that could influence the parameters under investigation
- acute suicidality or risk of harm to others
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- current pharmacological treatment for alcohol dependence (e.g., benzodiazepines) or for craving (e.g., acamprosate, disulfiram, naltrexone, nalmefene)
- other medications that may have a significant influence on heart rate
- sinusitis, self-reported problems with smell, or lack of normosmia, assessed both subjectively and objectively
- limited ability to understand the study information, the consent form or the study procedures and principles
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Germany1 site
Psychiatric University Hospital Charité at St. Hedwig Hospital, Berlin, Berlin 10115
Berlin, State of Berlin, 10115
About this study
Official title: Effects of Olfactory Stimuli in Virtual Reality Cue Exposure on Craving in Alcohol Dependence
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent and burdensome clinical condition with high relapse rates. A central risk factor for relapse is craving for alcohol-often accompanied by an attentional bias toward alcohol-related stimuli-which can be evoked by both real-world and virtual stimuli in immersive virtual reality (VR). In addition to visual and auditory stimuli, olfactory stimuli are increasingly recognized as important for creating realistic, multisensory VR environments. However, no systematic investigation has yet examined how olfactory stimuli embedded in VR-based cue exposure (VR-CE) influence craving and attentional bias in patients with AUD.
The goal of this prospective experimental single-arm clinical study, with a 2 (visual stimuli: neutral vs. alcohol-related VR scenarios) × 2 (olfactory stimuli: no odor vs. alcohol-related odor) within-subjects factorial design, is to determine how visual and olfactory stimuli contribute to the outcomes during a multimodal VR-CE in patients with AUD.
The main question is whether VR-CE with concurrent visual and olfactory alcohol-related stimuli induces a greater increase in craving and attentional bias from baseline than exposure to a single modality (visual or olfactory), as assessed by subjective and psychophysiological measures in patients with AUD.
Read the detailed description
Sixty patients with AUD, treated in inpatient or outpatient psychiatric clinics, will be enrolled in the study. Participants will receive written and verbal information about the study, and written informed consent for participation will be obtained. A screening for eligibility will then be conducted. This will include, among other things, a history of craving and the confirmation of normosmia. Sociodemographic data, questionnaires on craving, AUD characteristics, and tendency for immersion, as well as potentially confounding variables and factors influencing physiological parameters, will be collected. Participants will then be asked to name a beverage of their choice (beer, red wine, white wine, vodka, or schnaps), which will be presented to them visually and olfactorily during the VR-CE.
Before exposure to the VR scenarios, participants will be familiarized with the VR headset. Eye tracking within the head-mounted display (HMD) will be calibrated, and participants will be allowed to acclimatize to the VR environment. Subsequently, participants will be exposed to each of the four VR-CE conditions for 5 minutes (neutral visual+no odor; neutral visual+alcohol-related odor; alcohol-related visual+no odor; and alcohol-related visual+alcohol-related odor) in randomized order. Randomization will be implemented such that the visual stimuli are presented in blocks (i.e., both neutral or both alcohol-related VR scenarios), while the olfactory stimuli (no odor vs. alcohol-related odor) are randomized within each visual block. Prior to each visual block, participants will undergo a 5-minute VR baseline session in a black virtual room with blue orientation lines, which will serve as the baseline for subjective and psychophysiological parameters.
During exposure, psychophysiological parameters and eye-tracking data will be recorded, self-reported craving will be assessed three times and sense of presence once during each VR-CE condition. After the exposure, questionnaires to assess self-reported craving, attentional bias, sense of presence, affective reaction and cybersickness will be administered.
- Conditions
- Alcohol Use Disorder
- Being tested
- VR-CE
- Keywords
- alcohol use disorder, virtual reality cue exposure, olfactory
- Medical subject headings
- Alcoholism, Anosmia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
VR-CEDevice
Virtual reality cue exposure (VR-CE) using visual (neutral vs. alcohol-related VR scenarios) and olfactory (no odor vs. alcohol-related odor) stimuli conditions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| VR-CE | Experimental | The single-arm clinical study employs a 2 (visual: neutral vs. alcohol-related VR scenarios) × 2 (olfactory: no odor vs. alcohol-related odor) within-subjects factorial design. Each participant will complete all four conditions within the virtual reality cue exposure (VR-CE) Receives: Device: VR-CE |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Self-reported craving (VAS-C)
Self-reported craving will be assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS-C; range 0-10, higher score indicates higher levels of craving) during the 2 (visual) × 2 (olfactory) virtual reality cue exposure (VR-CE) conditions.
Measured: Day 1, at minute 0:30, 2:30 and 4:30 during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Secondary outcomes (13)
Psychophysiological craving index (heart rate variability, HRV)
For a multimodal craving measurement, heart rate variability (HRV) will be assessed as a psychophysiological craving index during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Measured: Day 1, continuously during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Psychophysiological craving index (heart rate, HR)
For a multimodal craving measurement, heart rate (HR, in beats per minute (bpm)) will be assessed as a psychophysiological craving index during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Measured: Day 1, continuously during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Psychophysiological craving index (electrodermal activity, EDA)
For a multimodal craving measurement, electrodermal activity (EDA, in microsiemens) will be assessed as a psychophysiological craving index during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Measured: Day 1, continuously during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Psychophysiological craving index (respiratory rate, RR)
For a multimodal craving measurement, respiratory rate (RR) will be assessed as a psychophysiological craving index during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Measured: Day 1, continuously during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Psychophysiological craving index (pupillometry)
For a multimodal craving measurement, pupillometry (pupil dilation in mm) will be assessed as a psychophysiological craving index during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Measured: Day 1, continuously during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Self-reported craving (AUQ)
In addition to the VAS-C during VR baseline and VR-CE conditions, self-reported craving will be assessed using the Alcohol Urge Questionnaire (AUQ, range: 0-42, higher score indicates higher levels of craving).
Measured: Day 1, after both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Self-reported attentional bias (AAS)
The Alcohol Attention Scale (AAS, item-range: 0-10, higher scores indicate higher levels of attention) will be used to assess self-reported attention toward the sight and smell of alcohol, as well as thoughts about drinking during each VR-CE condition with at least one alcohol-related stimulus.
Measured: Day 1, after each VR-CE condition, except for the combination of neutral VR scenario and no odor.
Pupillometry indices of attentional bias
Pupillometry indices of attentional bias will be continuously assessed through gaze tracking via eye-tracking of alcohol-related and neutral stimuli during the alcohol-related VR scenario.
Measured: Day 1, during the alcohol-related VR scenario.
Sense of presence (VAS-P)
Self-report of sense of presence will be assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS-P; range 0-10, higher score indicates higher levels of sense of presence).
Measured: Day one, during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition (minute 4:35).
Sense of presence (IPQ)
Self-report of sense of presence will be assessed after both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition via the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ, range: 0-6, higher scores indicate higher sense of presence).
Measured: Day 1, after both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Affective reaction (SAM)
Affective reaction will be assessed non-verbally using the three-item Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM, range: -4-4, higher scores indicate stronger affective reaction).
Measured: Day 1, after both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Cybersickness (FMS)
Cybersickness during both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition will be assessed using the Fast Motion Sickness Scale (FMS, range: 0-20, higher scores indicate higher cybersickness).
Measured: Day 1, after both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Cybersickness (VRSQ)
In addition to the FMS, the Virtual Reality Sickness Questionnaire (VRSQ, range: 0-27, higher score indicates higher cybersickness) will be used to assess self-reported cybersickness.
Measured: Day 1, after both VR baseline sessions and each VR-CE condition.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Jun 2026
- Study start15 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionJul 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionJul 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Alcohol Use DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Charite University, Berlin, GermanyThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Charite University, Berlin, Germany
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Alva Lütt, Charite University, Berlin, Germany
- Investigators
- Alva Lütt, Dr. med., Principal investigator, Psychiatric University Hospital Charité at St. Hedwig Hospital, Berlin, Berlin 10115Stefan Gutwinski, Prof. Dr. med., Principal investigator, Psychiatric University Hospital Charité at St. Hedwig Hospital, Berlin, Berlin 10115
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07667790
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- EA1/269/24_trial
- Acronym
- OLFA-VR
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 22 May 2026
- Last updated
- 22 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No