10106718Feasibility Study for using a VR Videogame For Children and Younger Peoples Depression RehabilitationClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UK**Public description** This research demonstrates how a simple online VR-based videogame may provide an inexpensive, easy-to-use digital therapy for depression in younger people aged between 13 and 18, as a valid, effective and efficient ground-breaking alternative to existing gold standard treatments including antidepressant medication and cognitive-behavioural therapy. It uses carefully designed virtual environment navigation to directly elicit a brain response that antidepressant medication uses as a central premise to their efficacy, more effectively than any currently available therapy. It has been designed to substantially enhance accessibility, providing therapy as early as possible, perhaps long before the effects of the disease become a burden to the patient, their family and society as a whole, potentially increasing patient quality of life. Particularly those that are traditionally reluctant to seek help, such as those from BAME backgrounds. This project will create a playable VR version of the game and preclinically test with volunteers that have been NHS depression service users alongside healthy people to create a clinical test ready version of the game. The project will allow Ascentys to gain essential information to ensure: \*The game can be easily used by its intended patients \*Preclinically test the game with the intended end user populace to ascertain efficiency/usefulness. \*How the game can be best used to ensure positive disruptive impact within existing NHS pathways to substantially raise effectiveness and efficiency of rehabilitation of young people with depression and potential disease progression monitoring. This application enables Ascentys to access crucial expertise and facilities needed to explore the feasibility of this concept: \*Access to patient volunteers \*Clinical and academic expertise via PPI group experts \*Game design, development and testing expertise Presenting an ideal opportunity for a highly ambitious and capable young games research company to address a critical global health need through invaluable support and mentoring. Our project outlines a highly innovative depression treatment for children and adolescents using a digital health VR-videogame-based approach that is radically different to anything currently available and also potentially substantially more effective and efficient (in terms of cost, time and convenience needed to administer) including both anti-depressant medication and cognitive-behavioural therapy. The game could be a highly exportable, UK developed, world first highly innovative solution transforming the depression care pathway landscape internationally for this horrendous illness for all people, not just simply children that are affected.