Personalized Virtual Reality Future Selves Elicit Introspective Brain Activation in Early Substance Use Disorder Recovery
Brandon G Oberlin, Mario Dzemidzic, Yitong I Shen, Andrew J Nelson · 2026
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Description
Brandon Oberlin and co-authors scan brain responses to virtual future selves in early addiction recovery in a 2026 study. Recovery demands deep change and a focus on long term healthy goals, yet relapse tops half of cases in the first year. The group had earlier built a virtual reality tool with personalized future self avatars, which raised emotional engagement and cut craving.
Twenty adults in early recovery met age progressed versions of themselves in two futures, one still using substances and one in recovery, each with a personal narrative. Brain scans followed at once. Viewing and reflecting on the future selves activated midline default mode regions tied to self reflection, which supports the tool's introspective effect.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Brandon G Oberlin, Mario Dzemidzic, Yitong I Shen, Andrew J Nelson |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 55 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |