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Updated: Aug 25, 2025
Virtual Prism Adaptation Therapy: Protocol for Validation in Healthy Adults
Published on: February 12, 2020
Effects of virtual reality working memory training on event-based prospective memory in patients with major
Dong Huang1, Shuya Yan2, Shiyi Shen3
1Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
Background:
Event-based prospective memory (EBPM) refers to remembering to perform delayed intention when specific events occur. EBPM deficit is present in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and hinders recovery from the illness. Working memory training (WMT) has been reported to enhance EBPM but its effect on EBPM in MDD remains unclear. We investigated whether virtual reality (VR)-based WMT can improve EBPM in MDD patients.
Methods:
Forty-six MDD patients and 41 healthy controls (HC) were recruited. Among the former ones, the first 23 consecutive patients were allocated to the experimental group (MDD-VR) and the next 23 consecutive patients to the waitlist control group (MDD-W). EBPM accuracy was used to assess EBPM performance. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Massachusetts General Hospital Cognitive and Physical Functioning Questionnaire (CPFQ) were employed to assess the cognitive functions and the depressive symptoms.
Results:
At baseline, EBPM accuracy did not significantly differ between MDD-VR and MDD-W but was lower in both of these two groups than in HC (both p < 0.001). Group-by-time interactions on EBPM accuracy (F = 4.614, p = 0.031) and CPFQ score (F = 5.754, p = 0.021) were present, whereas no significant group-by-time interaction or group effects were observed for HDRS score (both p > 0.05). After VR intervention, MDD-VR showed an increase in EBPM accuracy (Cohen's d = 1.20 [95% CI: 0.53, 1.86], p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
Our results demonstrated that VR-based WMT could improve EBPM deficits in MDD patients. Large-scale studies of a VR-based WMT program are indicated.
