Video game sparks mental health hope

Scientists believe they have made a breakthrough in treating schizophrenia by helping patients control verbal hallucinations using an MRI scanner and a computer game.

A pilot study by researchers at King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IOPPN) and the University of Roehampton has suggested the new technique can help patients who experience hallucinations but do not respond to medication.

They said their research showed sufferers could learn mental strategies to help ease their symptoms. The study involved 12 patients who experienced verbal hallucinations on a daily basis. Around 70 per cent of people with schizophrenia hear voices, which can cause a high level of distress and disruption to daily life.