Immersive, Open-World Virtual Reality for Dementia Care: NeuroVRX Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease and related dementias present growing global health and economic challenges.
• Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) offers non-pharmaceutical benefits for dementia patients.
• Digital and virtual reality (VR) interventions for dementia, particularly in open-world environments, remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of an immersive, open-world VR application for people diagnosed with dementia.
• To explore the potential of VR as a tool for cognitive and motor stimulation in this population.

Main Methods:

• A single-arm, unrandomised pilot study involving three male participants with dementia.
• Participants engaged in a single VR session within an immersive, open-world environment, navigating freely via seated arm and head movements.
• Data collected included session duration, virtual movement metrics, and participant feedback via questionnaires and anecdotal reports.

Main Results:

• All participants completed the VR session without adverse events or cybersickness.
• Average session time was 28 minutes, with participants virtually covering 0.9 km (1210 steps).
• Questionnaires indicated positive usability and acceptance; anecdotal feedback highlighted immersion and autobiographical stimulation with minimal mood changes.

Conclusions:

• Immersive, open-world VR is a feasible, safe, and well-accepted intervention for individuals with dementia.
• The combination of advanced hardware and exploratory VR software provides cognitive and motor stimulation.
• Results support the potential of 3D exploratory VR applications and warrant further controlled trials for therapeutic efficacy assessment.