Progress on the application of mixed reality in older adults with cognitive impairment
10.3760/cma.j.cn371468-20250210-00048
- VernacularTitle:混合现实技术在老年认知障碍中的应用进展
- Author:
Chun WANG
1
;
Xinyi CAO
1
Author Information
1. 上海交通大学医学院附属精神卫生中心，上海 200030
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Cognitive impairment;
Augmented reality;
Mixed reality;
Learning transfer
- From:
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science
2025;34(7):664-670
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The number of elderly patients with cognitive impairment has been increasing steadily over the years, making early assessment and intervention crucial for delaying disease progression. Mixed reality (MR) technology, with its interactive features of virtual-real world integration, can overcome two-dimensional limitations and obtain more accurate multimodal behavioral and physiological parameters through three-dimensional interactions. This approach is particularly advantageous in assessing core cognitive domains such as spatial cognition and sensorimotor integration, and is expected to enhance the ecological validity of assessment. Currently, several MR prototype systems have been developed for different stages of cognitive impairment. These systems train specific cognitive domains or daily living abilities by simulating daily life, incorporating adaptive task difficulty and personalized feedback. However, their intervention effects on cognitive function and activities of daily living require further validation in controlled clinical studies. Key challenges in applying MR technology to elderly individuals with cognitive impairment include developing more elderly-friendly devices, targeting more specific cognitive domains in content design, exploring multimodal integration with motor and social components, and improving the transferability and sustainability of intervention effects. Additionally, attention should also be paid to the potential risks associated with MR-based assessment and intervention, as well as the ethical considerations of applying new technologies. Future research should prioritize high-quality randomized controlled trials and cohort studies to validate the effectiveness and safety of MR-based assessment and interventions. Standardized task designs, experimental procedures, and reporting criteria should also be established to facilitate the clinical implementation and translation of MR technology for cognitive impairment in the elderly.
