Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42534109›Full record

ArticleJournal of military, veteran and family health2026

3MDR: From rehabilitation technology to a transformative trauma therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder.

Eric Vermetten, Rakesh Jetly, Michael J Roy, Pinata Sessoms, Mirjam J Nijdam, Lisa Burback, Suzette Brémault-Phillips

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of military, veteran and family health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Eric VermettenDepartment of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Rakesh JetlyInstitute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Michael J RoyMilitary Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative and Department of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, United States.
Pinata SessomsNaval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, United States.
Mirjam J NijdamARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Diemen, the Netherlands.
Lisa BurbackDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Suzette Brémault-PhillipsDepartment of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Motion-assisted multi-modal memory desensitization and reconsolidation (3MDR) has emerged as a promising advancement in exposure-based therapies, particularly for treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related disorders. Integrating treadmill-assisted movement with personalized trauma-related imagery and guided narrative processing, 3MDR promotes emotional engagement and supports memory reconsolidation in ways that traditional therapies often fail to achieve. This article reviews key developments in 3MDR's evolution, validation, and implementation. Randomized controlled trials in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada have demonstrated significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, improved emotional processing, and strong patient adherence. Originating from the Computer-Assisted Rehabilitation Environment system - initially designed for physical rehabilitation - 3MDR was adapted to overcome avoidance and disengagement frequently seen in Veterans and other trauma-exposed groups. Technological improvements, including enhanced software usability, high-definition immersive visuals, and real-time customization, have strengthened its therapeutic impact. Recent expansions include pilot applications for adolescents, moral injury, and complex PTSD, supported by a structured international training framework requiring supervised cases and ongoing coaching through the International Consortium of 3MDR. Emerging innovations, such as HoloLens-based delivery, are also being explored. While acceptance among patients and clinicians is strong, broader adoption will require sustained investment in infrastructure and workforce training.

Indexed as

3MDRimmersioninnovationPTSDtherapytrainingtreatment resistancevirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID42534109
PMCPMC13391172

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.