@article{SchwarzmeierLeehrBoehnleinetal.2020, author = {Schwarzmeier, Hanna and Leehr, Elisabeth Johanna and B{\"o}hnlein, Joscha and Seeger, Fabian Reinhard and Roesmann, Kati and Gathmann, Bettina and Herrmann, Martin J. and Siminski, Niklas and Jungh{\"o}fer, Markus and Straube, Thomas and Grotegerd, Dominik and Dannlowski, Udo}, title = {Theranostic markers for personalized therapy of spider phobia: Methods of a bicentric external cross-validation machine learning approach}, series = {International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research}, volume = {29}, journal = {International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research}, number = {2}, doi = {10.1002/mpr.1812}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-213430}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Objectives Embedded in the Collaborative Research Center "Fear, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders" (CRC-TRR58), this bicentric clinical study aims at identifying biobehavioral markers of treatment (non-)response by applying machine learning methodology with an external cross-validation protocol. We hypothesize that a priori prediction of treatment (non-)response is possible in a second, independent sample based on multimodal markers. Methods One-session virtual reality exposure treatment (VRET) with patients with spider phobia was conducted on two sites. Clinical, neuroimaging, and genetic data were assessed at baseline, post-treatment and after 6 months. The primary and secondary outcomes defining treatment response are as follows: 30\% reduction regarding the individual score in the Spider Phobia Questionnaire and 50\% reduction regarding the individual distance in the behavioral avoidance test. Results N = 204 patients have been included (n = 100 in W{\"u}rzburg, n = 104 in M{\"u}nster). Sample characteristics for both sites are comparable. Discussion This study will offer cross-validated theranostic markers for predicting the individual success of exposure-based therapy. Findings will support clinical decision-making on personalized therapy, bridge the gap between basic and clinical research, and bring stratified therapy into reach. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT03208400).}, language = {en} }