Determinants of Learning Anatomy in an Immersive Virtual Reality Environment - A Scoping Review
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Updated: Aug 16, 2025

An Open-Source Virtual Reality System for the Measurement of Spatial Learning in Head-Restrained Mice
Published on: March 3, 2023
Sakshi Sinha1, Veronica DeYoung1, Amit Nehru1
1Education Program in Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W. HSC 1R1, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8 Canada.
Abstract:
Given the decline of cadavers as anatomy teaching tools, immersive virtual reality (VR) technology has gained popularity as a potential alternative. To better understand how to maximize the educational potential of VR, this scoping review aimed to identify potential determinants of learning anatomy in an immersive VR environment. A literature search yielded 4523 studies, 25 of which were included after screening. Six common factors were derived from secondary outcomes in these papers: cognitive load, cybersickness, student perceptions, stereopsis, spatial understanding, and interactivity. Further objective research investigating the impact of these factors on anatomy examination performance is required.
Supplementary Information:
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01701-y.

