Innovation and Implementation of Technologies for Mental Health Promotion in Public Services of Brazilian Municipalities

• Grant number: 25/05925-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Rossi Menezes
• Grantee: Vinícius Nagy Soares
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/12901-9 - National Center for Research and Innovation in Mental Health (CISM), AP.ESP

Abstract

This postdoctoral project aims to lead a Digital Solutions Module and four Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) designed to develop, validate, and test the effectiveness of digital solutions for mental health outcomes. The "Exergame" study will test the effects of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) in a Virtual Reality (VR) environment on the cognitive functioning of adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). For this purpose, 98 adolescents aged 12 to 17, residing in Indaiatuba-SP, will be randomized into either an intervention or a control group. The intervention group will engage in HIIT using immersive VR (Exergame Move Sapiens®), while the control group will experience a similar activity but without physical exercise. The study will include five familiarization sessions at Max Planck University Center (UniMAX), followed by three home-based sessions per week for four weeks, totaling 20 sessions of seven minutes each. Before and after the intervention, assessments will be conducted to evaluate ADHD symptoms (SNAP-IV), cognitive performance (CPT Moxo, Digit Span, Spatial Span, Reaction Time, Trails), sleep quality (PSQI), and anxiety (GAD-7). The "Neurobots" study will examine the effects of a digital device designed for Mindfulness practice with Neurofeedback on stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among university employees in Brazil. A total of 100 workers aged 18 to 60 with high stress levels (EPS ¿ 14) will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will undergo Mindfulness training guided by Hemoencephalographic Neurofeedback (Neurobots), whereas the control group will engage in Mindfulness training using the Neurobots device but without Neurofeedback. At UniMAX and UniFAJ, participants will attend four weekly sessions over eight weeks, totaling 32 sessions of 15 minutes each. Assessments of stress (EPS), anxiety (GAD-7), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), and cognitive performance (Go/NoGo) will be conducted before and after the intervention, as well as at follow-up points (1 and 3 months). The "TRIS" study aims to develop a mobile app to promote sobriety and evaluate its effectiveness in individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). In Phase 1, a pilot study with 10 participants will assess the usability and functionality of the Brazilian version of the app, named "Remote Treatment with Incentives for Sobriety - TRIS." In Phase 2, 130 individuals aged 18 to 70 diagnosed with AUD and receiving care at AME-Psychiatry/São Paulo will be randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Over 12 weeks, the intervention group will receive contingency management via the TRIS app alongside standard treatment, while the control group will receive only standard treatment. Outcomes will include the number of abstinent days, alcohol consumption, treatment adherence, symptomatology, quality of life, and app usability. Finally, the "Ego2Save" study will seek to validate an algorithm for identifying depressive symptoms through facial expression scanning in individuals diagnosed with moderate or severe depression. Over three months, 23 individuals (¿ 18 years) diagnosed with moderate or severe depression and receiving care at CAPS/Jaguariúna will use the Ego2Save app for daily facial scanning and will randomly respond to the PHQ-9. At the end of the study, the facial expression coding algorithm's results will be correlated with PHQ-9 test scores. The expected outcomes of this project include interventions targeting modifiable factors associated with various disorders, contributing to clinical and mental health improvements, with potential implementation in Brazil's public healthcare system (SUS) and the market. Additionally, we aim to advance scientific knowledge and develop high-impact digital solutions for society.