Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 28, 2026
08:36
The Immersive Cleveland Clinic Virtual Reality Shopping Platform for the Assessment of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
Published on: July 28, 2022
5.2K
Immersive Virtual Reality Assessment in Multiple Sclerosis: Patient-Reported Experience and Correlates
Anikó Vágó1, Anne Geßner1, Maximilian Hartmann1
1University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, Dresden, and Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop (CeTI), 01309 Dresden, Germany.
Brain Sciences
|April 27, 2026
Summary
People with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) reported positive experiences with immersive virtual reality (VR) assessments. Most found VR safe and comfortable, with many desiring more frequent use, indicating VR
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Immersive virtual reality (VR) offers a standardized and engaging method for assessing motor and cognitive functions in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS).
- Systematic evaluation of patient-reported experiences (PREMs) with immersive VR tasks in pwMS is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) following a multidomain immersive VR task in pwMS.
- To explore associations between PREMs, clinical characteristics, therapeutic history, and task performance in pwMS.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, cross-sectional study involving 129 pwMS (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] 3.5-8.0).
- Participants completed a seated, immersive VR task with six upper-limb motor and cognitive components.
- Patient experience was assessed using a PREM questionnaire; upper-limb limitations were measured by the Arm Function in Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire (AMSQ).
Main Results:
- Overall positive patient experience reported, with median PREM item scores ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 (scale 0-10).
- Over 80% rated staff support as excellent; >50% found the assessment safe, comfortable, and appropriately timed.
- Higher perceived difficulty was associated with greater disability (EDSS, ambulation) and specific impairments (pyramidal, sensory); therapy history influenced perceived difficulty.
Conclusions:
- PwMS generally reported a positive experience with immersive VR assessment tasks.
- Further research is needed to compare the suitability and validity of VR assessments against conventional methods.
