mCRAVING Study
mCRAVING is an early-phase translational study led by King’s College London, developing a novel intervention combining virtual reality (VR), wearable sensing, and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to understand and manage craving in cocaine use disorder.
Clinical Context and Unmet Need
Substance use disorders are driven by environmental cues that trigger craving and relapse. Traditional cue exposure therapy lacks ecological validity and scalability.
There is also a lack of reliable, real-time methods to detect craving and predict relapse.
Study Design and RADAR-base Integration
- Laboratory-based study (n ≈ 32)
- Population: individuals with cocaine use disorder
RADAR-base Enabled Solution
RADAR-base enables continuous, real-world monitoring of craving and physiology, linking lab-based VR exposure with longitudinal behavioural data. This supports the development of predictive digital biomarkers for relapse risk.
Impact
- Improved patient/service user outcomes (emerging): Enables personalised relapse prevention strategies
- Capacity and workforce development: Builds interdisciplinary expertise (VR, data science, psychiatry)
- Systems influence: Introduces new digital therapeutic models
- Operational excellence: Novel methodology combining VR & wearables & EMA
- Collaboration: Multi-partner academic and technology collaboration
- Patient involvement: Real-time reporting improves engagement
mCRAVING exemplifies the integration of immersive technologies with real-world monitoring to address a complex mental health condition. RADAR-base enables continuous, multi-modal data capture, supporting the development of predictive models of craving and relapse.
If validated, this approach could underpin next-generation digital therapeutics combining VR and wearable sensing, enabling earlier intervention and more personalised addiction care.
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