Mental health disorders are a leading cause of disability worldwide, and there is a global shortage of mental health professionals. AI chatbots have emerged as a potential solution, offering accessible and scalable mental health interventions. This study aimed to conduct a scoping review to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of AI chatbots in treating mental health conditions. A literature search was conducted across multiple databases, including MEDLINE, Scopus, and PsycNet, as well as using AI-powered tools like Microsoft Copilot and Consensus. Relevant studies on AI chatbot interventions for mental health were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by multiple reviewers. The search yielded 15 eligible studies covering various application areas, such as mental health support during COVID-19, interventions for specific conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety, substance use disorders), preventive care, health promotion, and usability assessments. AI chatbots demonstrated potential benefits in improving mental and emotional well-being, addressing specific mental health conditions, and facilitating behavior change. However, challenges related to usability, engagement, and integration with existing healthcare systems were identified. AI chatbots hold promise for mental health interventions, but widespread adoption hinges on improving usability, engagement, and integration with healthcare systems. Enhancing personalization and context-specific adaptation is key. Future research should focus on large-scale trials, optimal human–AI integration, and addressing ethical and social implications.

(1) Background: With the term Virtual reality (VR) we refer to a three-dimensional environment generated by the computer, in which subjects interact with the environment as if they were really inside it. The most used VR tools are the so-called HMD (head-mounted display) which make it possible to achieve what theorists define “direct mediated action”. The aim of our systematic review is specifically to investigate the applications of virtual reality therapy for the treatment of social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia. The most common treatment for social anxiety disorder is represented by “in vivo exposure therapy” (iVET). This method consists of exposing the participant, in a gradual and controlled way, to anxious stimuli, with the goal to change the subject’s response to the object or situation that is causing the fear. However, the main flaw of “in Vivo therapies” is represented by both the huge costs involved and the possible disturbance variables that can hinder the execution of the therapeutic treatment. Virtual reality exposure therapy could therefore, if confirmed in its effectiveness, constitute a solution to eliminate these two defects demonstrated by “in vivo exposure therapy”. The goal is to use VR as a means for the clinician to build a tailor-made path for the participant in order to make him acquire “in virtual” those skills necessary for a good adaptation in the “real” world. (2) Methods: From February 2021 until the date of submission of the article (September 2021), we conducted a systematic review aiming to verify the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) for the treatment of SAD. (3) Results: We identified a total of 205 unique articles. Among these, 20 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and 5 of these met the eligibility criteria and were, therefore, included in the final systematic review. (4) Conclusions: Virtual reality therapies proved to be a valid alternative to the acquisition of social skills suitable for improving the symptoms of SAD. Although there has not been a significant difference between VRET and iVET, the low costs and flexibility of VRET open up new scenarios for achieving greater psychophysical well-being.

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders are complex mental health conditions that significantly impact cognitive function and quality of life. While pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions are available, their effectiveness remains limited, particularly for negative symptoms and cognitive impairments. These limitations, alongside drug side effects and adherence difficulties, highlight the need for new treatments. Cognitive remediation strategies like Neurofeedback show promise by harnessing neuroplasticity. This systematic review aims to evaluate the neurocognitive and humoral changes induced by Neurofeedback and its therapeutic effects in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Our review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Databases including EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PsycINFO, and MEDLINE were searched for relevant studies: 14 studies, 10 RCTs, and 4 Clinical trials were selected. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies involving patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, Neurofeedback interventions, and outcomes related to neurocognitive and humoral changes. The Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) was used to assess the quality of included studies. The reviewed studies suggest that Neurofeedback shows promise in addressing various aspects of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Improvements were observed in processing speed, social functioning, working memory, and emotional regulation. Several studies reported successful modulation of brain activity in regions associated with auditory hallucinations. Neurofeedback training also led to increased functional connectivity between language networks and the default mode network. Some studies found improvements in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, self-efficacy, and clinical symptoms in schizophrenia patients. Future research should focus on personalizing Neurofeedback approaches and exploring their mechanisms of action in the context of schizophrenia pathophysiology.

Background: Neurofeedback (NFB) or EEG-Biofeedback is a non-invasive therapeutic method, based on the theory of operating conditioning, and designed to change the functioning of the brain by sending feedback that provides positive or negative reinforcement. The goal is to teach the patient how to perceive specific cortical activation states and how to achieve them on purpose. NFB has been used to treat various mental disorders, including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Traditional treatments for PTSD have several limitations; very few individuals are willing to relive the traumatic experience. Placing itself as an effective alternative, Neurofeedback allows the unresponsive patient to recourse to an alternative intervention to relieve their symptoms without reliving the anguish of trauma, consequently presuming a lower percentage of drop-out. Considering the importance of integrated approaches to clinical practice, NFB was integrated with Trauma-Informed Motivational Interviewing (TIMI). The TIMI approach is a new therapeutic paradigm for clinical interviews that aims to help users work through their trauma and transform it from a point of weakness to a point of strength. Integrating TIMI with NFB can help overcome the current trend of passive implementation of intervention tools, leading to greater user responsiveness and fewer residual symptoms. To improve treatment adherence, moreover, it has been suggested to incorporate Virtual Reality (VR) into the NFB system. VR, through the "sense of presence," provides a more immersive experience than 2D visualization, potentially resulting in faster cortical training. Lastly, the research protocol aims to focus on a population at high risk of PTSD that is often overlooked in research, such as workers who are victims of occupational PTSD.Methods: The study design involves in-depth analysis of a specific clinical case. Baseline measurements were taken for enrollment and at the following time points: T1 (pre-treatment), T2 (post-treatment), and T3 (follow-up). These measurements included various psychometric assessments to evaluate PTSD symptoms, treatment acceptability, safety, and adherence, as well as biological measures related to the brain's electrophysiological activity.Results and Conclusion: Our research reveals that the synergy between virtual reality-mediated Neurofeedback and trauma-motivational interviewing produces significant results. TIMINB stands out as a low-cost, effective, and completely risk-free procedure. This approach could represent a groundbreaking innovation in the field of Cyberpsychology and psychological therapies.

Background: Impulse control disorders (ICDs) are clinically relevant non-motor complications of Parkinson’s disease (PD). ICDs include gambling, hypersexuality, compulsive shopping, binge eating, hobbyism/punding, and dopamine dysregulation syndrome. Although dopaminergic replacement therapies are a key risk factor, only a subgroup of treated patients develop ICDs, potentially suggesting that neuropsychological differences may contribute to interindividual variability. Dysfunctional Metacognitive Beliefs (MBs) have recently been associated with addictive behaviors in the general population, but their role in neurologically driven addictive-like behaviors has not yet been examined. This exploratory study aimed to investigate whether dysfunctional MBs are associated with ICD symptom severity in PD patients after controlling for variables of dopaminergic exposure. Methods: 38 PD patients (44.7% F, mean age 67.55) completed the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30) and the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson’s Disease-Rating Scale (QUIP-RS). One-sample t-tests were used to compare MCQ scores with normative values from the Italian general community sample. Two-tailed partial correlations tested associations between MCQ-30 scores and QUIP-RS outcomes, controlling for treatment duration, dopamine agonist exposure (LEDD-DA), and other dopaminergic exposures (i.e., total LEDD minus LEDD-DA). Additionally, independent samples t-tests were conducted to compare MCQ-30 scores between patients with and without ICDs. False discovery rate correction was applied. Results: Overall, 23.7% of patients exceeded the QUIP-ICD cut-off. Compared with normative data from the general community sample, PD patients showed a more dysfunctional metacognitive profile. After controlling for dopaminergic exposure, ICD symptom severity was associated with positive beliefs about worry, negative beliefs about uncontrollability and danger, reduced cognitive confidence, greater need to control thoughts, and lower cognitive self-consciousness. In group comparisons, patients exceeding the QUIP-ICD cut-off showed significantly higher MCQ-POS, MCQ-NEG, and MCQ-NC scores and lower MCQ-CSC scores than those below the cut-off. Discussion: These exploratory findings suggest that, after controlling for dopaminergic variables, dysfunctional MBs are associated with ICD symptom severity. In this context, MBs may represent one of the cognitive-affective correlates of ICD interindividual variability.