Virtual Reality in cognitive rehabilitation
About the trial
Project leader
Sveinung Tornaas, former Head of Innovation, SRH; currently employed at Dept of E-health, Helsedirektoratet
Abstract
Many persons with acquired brain injury (ABI) need intensive, interdisciplinary rehabilitation efforts, both in the acute and the chronic phase. Impaired processing speed, memory and sustained attention are typically pronounced within the cognitive domain, which may have a negative impact on activities of daily living, work attainment, and quality of life. Over the past decades, an increasing number of studies have explored the efficacy of intervention programs targeting distinct cognitive functions. Despite this, it is very challenging to demonstrate far-transfer effects of cognitive training - effects that generalize beyond the specifically trained task. It has become particularly common to try to retrain processing speed, working memory and sustained attention with the use of computerized training programs. Although studies have shown some improvements, the approach is hampered by lack of ecological validity, decontextualized training activities, and lack of transfer effects into everyday activities. Given the criticism of computerized cognitive training, there is a growing optimism regarding the usefulness of Virtual Reality (VR) as a cognitive training intervention.
VR enables a contextualized training situation that resembles everyday life. Importantly, VR is thought to enhance motivation and engagement with tasks, leading to increased patient involvement, one of the key factors in predicting favorable training effects. The literature on VR as a cognitive training intervention for persons with ABI is sparse, and the few existing studies are characterized by severe methodological weaknesses. Furthermore, there is a great lack of knowledge about acceptance and tolerability of VR as an intervention method for persons with ABI, and no evidence-based guidelines exist. This study will investigate the effectiveness of VR as a cognitive training intervention by conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that applies a commercially available VR-game in training of processing speed, working memory and sustained attention. The study design will also allow for a systematic investigation of how persons with ABI experience and tolerate the use of VR.
Research group members
Truls Johansen, occupational therapist, PhD candidate
Sveinung Tornaas, former head of Innovation SRH, currently department of e-health Helsedirektoratet, main supervisor
Marianne Løvstad, co- supervisor
Anne Lund, Pofessor OsloMet, co-supervisor
Alexander Olsen, neuropsychologist, ST Olavs hospital, Ass professor NTNU, co-supervisor
Martin Matre, neuropsychologist, SRH, collaborating PhD candidate.
Anne Catrine Trægde Martinsen, research director SRH, professor OsloMet
Jennie Ponsford, Professor Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, guest professor
Ethical approvals
SIKT: 172224
REK: 376999
Funding
Stiftelsen Dam, 2 342 000 NOK
Time period
January 2022 – December 2025
Read about the trial
Project page in Cristin (Current research information system in Norway)Information about participation
Recruitment is over