Mobile cognitive control training for the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Project Summary Abstract The primary objective of the current project is to develop and evaluate the feasibility of mobile cognitive control training program for the treatment of those who are suffering from co morbid Alcohol Use Disorder AUD and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder PTSD Unlike previous AUD interventions that may overlook the role of co occurring psychopathology those that target trans disease cognitive deficits for remediation represent an innovative evidence based and potentially high yield approach for optimizing recovery outcomes and reducing chronic impairment among vulnerable individuals with co occurring AUD and PTSD This novel therapeutic strategy is designed to broadly assess cognitive and functional abilities then train cognitive abilities with the specific goal of strengthening cognitive systems that mediate core deficits in AUD and PTSD and continuously inform clinicians about patient compliance and treatment progress via a Cloud based patient to clinic portal Also brief self report of daily alcohol use and PTSD status shall provide data useful for both evaluating real world outcomes and product model acceptability In the first specific aim we will define a set of enhancements to make the user experience and the game play sufficient to motivate the continued use of the program We will then employ established methods of software design and development and iteratively refine the implemented design to complete the development of the enhanced program for a feasibility trial specific aim conducted locally in collaboration with the research team at the Palo Alto VA Health Care System Given the ease of access of mobile based training and online monitoring of AUD PTSD status this project should result in the development of a new powerful tool to provide effective adjunctive therapy that results in far greater treatment outcome among individuals with co occurring AUD and PTSD Project Narrative The goal of this project is to develop and examine the feasibility of a mobile cognitive control training program for the treatment of co morbid alcohol use disorder AUD and posttraumatic stress disorder PTSD AUD is highly co morbid with PTSD which is in turn associated with poor clinical and functional outcomes From cognitive control training targeting biased reward seeking and disrupted impulse control we expect to increase cognitive functioning in targeted areas and reduce cognitive bias for alcohol and threat related cues decrease alcohol seeking and consumption and PTSD symptoms and enhance capacity to effectively implement more adaptive self management strategies that will ultimately improve quality of life These outcomes might have further potential to provide a patient driven i e performed independently and adaptively from home highly accessible and therefore less stigmatizing i e low cost mobile remote clinical monitoring and non pharmacological alternative for treatment of AUD PTSD