VR headsets under scrutiny: could they trigger seizures?
NCT ID NCT07451093
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study will test whether using virtual reality headsets raises the risk of seizures in adolescents and adults with epilepsy. Forty participants will wear a VR headset while their brain activity is recorded with EEG, comparing periods with the display off, on, and with hand controls. The goal is to see if interactive VR is more likely to trigger abnormal brain signals than passive viewing.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Virtual Reality Headset
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide safety guidelines for people with epilepsy using virtual reality.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 40 participants. It measures brain activity, not actual seizures, so real-world risk may differ.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Lebanon, New Hampshire, 03756, United States
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