Ferrante Michele, Esposito Layla E, Stoeckel Luke E
Division of Translational Research, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
Division of Behavioral and Social Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States.
Front Psychiatry. 2024 Sep 10;15:1433438. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1433438. eCollection 2024.
Prescription Digital Therapeutics (PDTs) are emerging as promising tools for treating and managing mental and brain health conditions within the context of daily life. This commentary distinguishes PDTs from other Software as Medical Devices (SaMD) and explores their integration into mental and brain health treatments. We focus on research programs and support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), discussing PDT research supported by the NIH's National Institute on Child Health and Development (NICHD), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and National Institute on Aging (NIA). We present a hierarchical natural language processing topic analysis of NIH-funded digital therapeutics research projects. We delineate the PDT landscape across different mental and brain health disorders while highlighting opportunities and challenges. Additionally, we discuss the research foundation for PDTs, the unique therapeutic approaches they employ, and potential strategies to improve their validity, reliability, safety, and effectiveness. Finally, we address the research and collaborations necessary to propel the field forward, ultimately enhancing patient care through innovative digital health solutions.
处方数字疗法（PDT）正在成为在日常生活背景下治疗和管理精神与大脑健康状况的有前景的工具。本评论将PDT与其他作为医疗设备的软件（SaMD）区分开来，并探讨它们融入精神与大脑健康治疗的情况。我们关注美国国立卫生研究院（NIH）的研究项目和支持，讨论由NIH的国家儿童健康与人类发展研究所（NICHD）、国家心理健康研究所（NIMH）和国家老龄问题研究所（NIA）支持的PDT研究。我们对由NIH资助的数字疗法研究项目进行了分层自然语言处理主题分析。我们描绘了不同精神与大脑健康障碍领域的PDT格局，同时突出了机遇和挑战。此外，我们讨论了PDT的研究基础、它们采用的独特治疗方法，以及提高其有效性、可靠性、安全性和疗效的潜在策略。最后，我们阐述推动该领域向前发展所需的研究和合作，最终通过创新的数字健康解决方案加强患者护理。
