7 mental health technologies likely to significantly improve care and the effectiveness of current therapies

What are the key challenges in treating mental disorders?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that by 2030, mental illnesses will become the leading contributor to the global burden of disease. In 2025, these conditions already represented the second leading cause of long-term disability.¹World Health Organization: WHO. (2025, September 2). Over a billion people living with mental health conditions; services require urgent scale-up. https://www.who.int/news/item/02-09-2025-over-a-billion-people-living-with-mental-health-conditions-services-require-urgent-scale-up A mental disorder is defined as a harmful dysfunction in an individual’s internal mechanisms responsible for carrying out one or more psychological functions.

While pharmacological treatments can be effective for individuals living with chronic mental illnesses, issues such as long-term medication dependence, debilitating side effects, variability in treatment response, and non-adherence can limit the effectiveness of current approaches to treating mental disorders. The use of mental health technologies can complement existing drug-based treatments in order to improve the overall quality of care for severe and chronic mental health conditions.

Technology 1: digital therapeutics (DTx) to prevent and manage mental illness

Digital therapeutics (DTx) are therapeutic approaches based on behavioral interventions that have shown promising results in the prevention and management of various forms of mental illness. A total of 449 clinical trials on digital therapeutics were conducted between 2010 and 2030 on ClinicalTrials.gov, of which 7% focused on mental health.²Miao et al, Characterisation of digital therapeutic clinical trials: a systematic review with natural language processing, Lancet Digit Health. 2024 March; 6(3): e222–e229. doi:10.1016/S2589-7500(23)00244-3. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one therapeutic area in which digital therapeutics (DTx) could improve standard care.

Current treatment options for ADHD are primarily pharmacological and may involve long-term risks and side effects. In June 2020, the FDA approved the therapeutic video game EndeavorRx® as a prescription DTx for children aged 8 to 17 with ADHD, aiming to improve attention skills. Using an adaptive algorithm, the game adjusts difficulty levels to enable a highly personalized treatment experience for each child.³Federal Drug Administration. De Novo Classification Request for EndeavorRx https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/reviews/DEN200026.pdf0026 summary

For individuals suffering from insomnia, a digital therapeutic called Sleepio™ has been developed. Designed for adults, this application provides an automated program based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).⁴Sleepio™. Is Sleepio suitable for you? https://info.sleepio.com/suitability

Technology 2: non-invasive brain stimulation technologies to modulate brain activity patterns

Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques use electrically induced currents via magnetic fields as a treatment method for mental and neurological disorders. When combined with psychosocial interventions, NIBS has demonstrated a significant positive effect in reducing moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Depression is one of the most severe mental illnesses worldwide, affecting more than 332 million people globally.⁵World Health Organization: WHO. (2025, August 29). Depression [in French]. https://www.who.int/fr/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression

The Pulvinar Neuro device, developed by a spin-off from UNC-Chapel Hill and acquired in 2022 by Electromedical Products International, Inc., is an example of this type of mental health technology aimed at modulating brain activity in patients with mental illness. The device detects brain waves through EEG and then delivers a very low, painless electrical current to modify abnormal brain electrical activity.

At the end of 2024, the company received FDA Breakthrough Device designation, a program designed to support innovative medical devices and accelerate their path to market.⁶UNC School of Medicine. (2025, March 10). https://news.unchealthcare.org/2025/03/fda-grants-breakthrough-device-designation-for-non-invasive-brain-stimulation-device-to-treat-major-depressive-disorder/

Technology 3: brain implants for long-term care improvement

Brain implants are medical devices typically placed in the brain to directly stimulate or modulate neural activity. Their advantages include the ability to relieve symptoms resistant to other forms of treatment and to provide highly personalized therapeutic approaches.

Researchers and clinicians at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have developed an implant that acts as a pacemaker for the brain, using a precision medicine approach that successfully treated a patient with treatment-resistant depression by identifying and modulating the brain circuit uniquely associated with their symptoms. The implant is embedded in the skull and connected to the brain through deep brain stimulation, delivering electrical impulses that reset neural function.

Ongoing developments in brain implant technologies include soft implantable electrodes, low-power devices, and high-resolution sensing network processors. For example, researchers at EPFL have combined low-power chip design, machine learning algorithms, and flexible implantable electrodes to create a neural interface capable of detecting and suppressing symptoms of various neurological disorders.

Technology 4: ultrasound-based treatment for treatment-resistant depression

In parallel with brain implant research, which requires surgery and therefore entails higher risks for patients, a new technology has recently emerged in France through a partnership between ESPCI Paris PSL, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, and GHU Paris. This consortium has developed a treatment based on low-intensity focused ultrasound that modulates brain activity in regions associated with depression.

As ultrasound propagates through human tissue, it mechanically stimulates brain regions by triggering the opening of mechanosensitive channels. A first clinical trial conducted on five patients has shown promising results: no serious adverse effects were reported, and patients experienced no discomfort or pain during exposure. A mean reduction of more than 60% in depression severity was observed at the end of treatment.

This technological breakthrough is notable as it enables targeted, non-invasive stimulation of deep brain regions while remaining portable.⁷GHU Paris. (2025, May 30). A new therapeutic avenue for treating treatment-resistant depression using ultrasound [in French]. https://www.ghu-paris.fr/fr/actualites/une-nouvelle-piste-therapeutique-pour-traiter-la-depression-resistante-par-ultrasons

Technology 5: transcranial magnetic stimulation to overcome drug resistance

Approximately 20% to 60% of patients with psychiatric disorders exhibit drug resistance, resulting in increased healthcare burden and costs. For this patient group, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may offer an alternative therapy.

Based on an improved understanding of the relationship between neural activity and mood and behavioral regulation, TMS uses electromagnetic induction to target specific brain regions responsible for mood control, thereby modulating neural activity. A recent study showed that up to 83% of patients with depression who did not respond to pharmacological treatments responded to TMS, and between 28% and 62% achieved remission.⁸Trapp et al, Consensus Review and Considerations on TMS to Treat Depression: A Comprehensive Update Endorsed by the National Network of Depression Centers, the Clinical TMS Society, and the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology, Clinical Neurophysiology. 2025 February; 170: 206–233. doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2024.12.015.

Compared with brain implants, this is a fully non-invasive approach and a safe and effective therapy for patients requiring short-term medical intervention. Recent research efforts have focused on improving TMS efficiency by reducing the number of sessions and shortening exposure time through theta burst stimulation (iTBS)⁹Trapp et al, Consensus Review and Considerations on TMS to Treat Depression: A Comprehensive Update Endorsed by the National Network of Depression Centers, the Clinical TMS Society, and the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology, Clinical Neurophysiology. 2025 February; 170: 206–233. doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2024.12.015., a form of TMS delivering rapid high-frequency pulses (50–200 Hz) spaced at theta rhythms (3–8 Hz), a brain activity pattern associated with deep relaxation states.¹⁰Huang et al, Theta-burst direct electrical stimulation remodels human brain networks, Nature Communications, (2024) 15:6982 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51443-1

Technology 6: virtual reality therapy for the treatment of psychosis

Virtual reality (VR) therapy, or visual simulation technology (VST), uses computer-generated environments to create a realistic and immersive experience, enabling individuals to confront and overcome specific fears or anxieties related to their mental health. VR therapy has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of mental disorders, including psychosis and anxiety disorders.

In 2022, a UK-based startup (OxfordVR®) using virtual reality to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy received FDA Breakthrough Device designation for its treatment of schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses, “gameChange,” a process expected to accelerate final approval if clinical trials are successful.

OxfordVR® has developed a treatment using VR headsets to guide patients through everyday situations, such as going to a store or taking a bus, which can trigger fear and anxiety in individuals with psychosis. The company merged with BehaVR®, a US leader in VR and digital therapeutic experiences, to enhance commercialization and accessibility. BehaVR® works on anxiety, stress, pain, and addiction using real-time biometrics and machine learning models.¹¹Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford. (2022, December 19). Oxford virtual reality spin-out combines with US-based BehaVR. https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/news/oxford-virtual-reality-spin-out-combines-with-us-based-behavr

In 2023, “gameChange” received an Early Value Assessment (EVA) from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use in patients with psychosis experiencing severe agoraphobic avoidance. This accreditation enables its use within the UK public healthcare system.¹²National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). (2023, November 15). Recommendations. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/HTG701/chapter/1-Recommendations

Read also: Virtual reality: a real game-changer for neurological rehabilitation

Technology 7: AI-powered monitoring tools

With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, numerous platforms and applications are emerging to improve the management of mental health disorders, particularly by enhancing patient monitoring and preventing relapse. For example, the French startup Callyope has developed an application designed with mental health professionals to better monitor patients with conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression.

Using machine learning, Callyope can detect symptoms of mental disorders after just 30 seconds of speech. It can identify more than 10 different symptoms with over 90% accuracy by analyzing hundreds of clinically validated vocal biomarkers and integrating language, voice, and clinical context. Patients can also be monitored through regularly completed questionnaires.

For Callyope, the ultimate goal is to improve access to care by anticipating relapses and thereby preventing rehospitalizations.¹³Maubant, T. (2025, February 14). Mental health: Callyope, the start-up transforming care through voice-based remote monitoring, raises €2.2 million [in French]. ActuIA. https://www.actuia.com/actualite/sante-mentale-callyope-la-start-up-qui-transforme-les-soins-grace-a-la-telesurveillance-vocale-leve-22-millions-deuros/¹⁴Callyope. (n.d.). Clinical AI for psychiatry [in English]. https://www.callyope.com/fr¹⁵Niom, G. (2024, April 15). Callyope raises €2.2 million to revolutionize the monitoring of mental health disorders [in French]. Bpifrance | Press. https://presse.bpifrance.fr/callyope-leve-22meur-pour-revolutionner-le-suivi-des-troubles-en-sante-mentale/

The future of physical and digital technologies in the field of mental illness is promising, as they have the potential to significantly improve care and the effectiveness of existing therapeutic options. However, the adoption of mental health technologies as treatments will depend on companies’ ability to demonstrate their safety and efficacy.

They will need to show that their innovations can be integrated into treatment pathways and recognized by prescribers as well as the broader mental health ecosystem. In addition, companies must demonstrate that these mental health technologies, whether used alongside existing treatments or as standalone alternatives, provide an overall benefit in the treatment of severe and chronic mental disorders.

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About the authors,

Xianjin, Consultant in Alcimed’s Healthcare team in Singapore
Ismail, Projet Manager in Alcimed’s Healthcare team in Singapore
Léopoldine, Consultant in Alcimed’s Healthcare team in Singapore