Effect of Virtual Reality on Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients With Brain Tumor.
10.5535/arm.2014.38.6.726
- Author:
Seoyon YANG
1
;
Min Ho CHUN
;
Yu Ri SON
Author Information
1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. mhchun@amc.seoul.kr
- Publication Type:Randomized Controlled Trial ; Original Article
- Keywords:
Brain tumors;
Cognition;
Virtual reality therapy
- MeSH:
Brain Neoplasms*;
Cognition;
Humans;
Male;
Neuropsychological Tests;
Rehabilitation;
Trail Making Test;
Verbal Learning;
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
- From:Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine
2014;38(6):726-733
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether virtual reality (VR) training will help the recovery of cognitive function in brain tumor patients. METHODS: Thirty-eight brain tumor patients (19 men and 19 women) with cognitive impairment recruited for this study were assigned to either VR group (n=19, IREX system) or control group (n=19). Both VR training (30 minutes a day for 3 times a week) and computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (30 minutes a day for 2 times) for 4 weeks were given to the VR group. The control group was given only the computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (30 minutes a day for 5 days a week) for 4 weeks. Computerized neuropsychological tests (CNTs), Korean version of Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), and Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) were used to evaluate cognitive function and functional status. RESULTS: The VR group showed improvements in the K-MMSE, visual and auditory continuous performance tests (CPTs), forward and backward digit span tests (DSTs), forward and backward visual span test (VSTs), visual and verbal learning tests, Trail Making Test type A (TMT-A), and K-MBI. The VR group showed significantly (p<0.05) better improvements than the control group in visual and auditory CPTs, backward DST and VST, and TMT-A after treatment. CONCLUSION: VR training can have beneficial effects on cognitive improvement when it is combined with computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation. Further randomized controlled studies with large samples according to brain tumor type and location are needed to investigate how VR training improves cognitive impairment.
