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Does Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Improve Attention Processes in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury? Encouraging Data from a Pilot Study

Authors :
Rosaria De Luca
Mirjam Bonanno
Carmela Rifici
Patrizia Pollicino
Angelo Caminiti
Giovanni Morone
Rocco Salvatore CalabrĂ²
Source :
Brain Sciences, Vol 12, Iss 9, p 1211 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2022.

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a sudden injury that causes damage to the brain. Rehabilitation therapies include specific training, such as attention process training (APT) programs using either standard or innovative approaches. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of a non-immersive virtual reality-based attention training to stimulate attention processes and mood in TBI patients. Thirty subjects with TBI were enrolled at the Neurorehabilitation Unit of the IRCCS Neurolesi Center and divided into either the Conventional Attention Process Training Group (C_APT: n = 15) or the Virtual-Based Attention Processes Training Group (VB_APT: n = 15), treated with the Virtual Reality Rehabilitation System (VRRS-Evo). All of the patients were evaluated with a specific psychometric battery before (T0) and after the end (T1) of each program. We found statistically significant differences between the two groups, in particular concerning global cognitive status (p < 0.02), attention processes (p < 0.03), depression symptoms (p < 0.04) and visual attention (p < 0.01). Experimental intragroup analysis showed great statistical significances in all psychometric tests, i.e., the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (p < 0.0006), Attention Matrices (p < 0.0007), the Hamilton Rating Scale-Depression (p < 0.004), the Trail Making Test-A (p < 0.0007), the Trail Making Test-B (p < 0.0007), and the Trail Making test-BA (p < 0.007). Our results suggest that non-immersive virtual reality may be a useful and effective approach for the attention processes recovery and mood of TBI patients, leading to better cognitive and behavioral outcomes.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20763425
Volume :
12
Issue :
9
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Brain Sciences
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.58193623bf68452b92adb2f8f628b645
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12091211