Researchers are building a virtual reality world to help people overcome their cocaine addiction by repeatedly exposing them to tempting scenarios in a safe environment.
The project draws on the experiences of drug users to create tailored 3D experiences, such as being alone in a flat or at a party with friends, where people can be immersed via a VR headset in realistic situations that trigger the urge to take drugs.
Studies have shown that “cue exposure treatment” can substantially reduce cravings and relapse in recovering alcoholics, but the approach has not been fully tested as a potential treatment for cocaine addiction.
Paolo Deluca, the lead researcher and a professor of addiction research at King’s College London, said the virtual reality world should help users break the association between tempting scenarios and their cocaine use, and give them time to practise strategies for refusing drugs.
“We are trying to better understand the scenarios – the cues and interactions – that trigger cravings in people who use cocaine,” he said.
The work is one of 11 projects announced on Friday as part of a £12m government investment to reduce drug overdoses through virtual reality, artificial intelligence and wearable technology.
Across Britain, drug overdoses claim nearly 5,000 lives each year. Several of the new projects will run from Scotland, which has the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe.
Another project backed by the programme is investigating whether a wearable device that talks to a chest-worn breathing monitor can detect when a person has overdosed. If the device suspects an overdose, it alerts emergency services that have access to an antidote in the hope of delivering the potentially life-saving treatment faster.
One of the most effective antidotes for heroin or methadone overdose is naloxone, but the treatment is typically available only as an injection or nasal spray and cannot always be used in time. To make the drug more accessible, another team at King’s is looking into naloxone wafers that can deliver the antidote by melting in the mouth.
Patrick Vallance, the science minister, said: “These innovative projects highlight the power of collaboration in delivering life-saving treatments. By investing in these partnerships, we are tackling addiction head-on and ensuring that cutting-edge science reaches those who need it most.”
The projects were announced as research suggested that diabetes and weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy could become a tool to prevent drug overdoses.
Scientists at Loyola University Chicago analysed health records of more than half a million adults with a history of opioid abuse. Those with prescriptions for weight-loss drugs were 40% less likely to have overdosed than those without, the study found.
Similar results emerged for alcohol abuse. The health records of more than 800,000 people with a history of alcohol problems revealed that cases of intoxication were 50% lower in those with prescriptions than those without, according to a report in the journal Addiction.
The medications affect the brain’s mesolimbic system, reducing appetite and triggering satisfaction after eating. But they may also affect reward pathways in the brain that play an important role in substance abuse.
Matt Field, a professor of psychology at the University of Sheffield, said they could reduce hospitalisations from heroin and alcohol abuse but it was unclear whether they helped people cut down on how often they used the substances.
“We already have things such as naloxone which are specifically intended for rapid treatment of heroin overdose, and they work very well,” he said. “The best way to avoid ‘alcohol intoxication’ is to avoid drinking huge amounts, and the big question is whether Ozempic helps people to do this.”