Does Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Improve Attention Processes in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury? Encouraging Data from a Pilot Study

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a sudden injury that causes damage to the brain. Rehabilitation therapies include specific training, such as attention process training (APT) programs using either standard or innovative approaches. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of a non-immersive virtual reality-based attention training to stimulate attention processes and mood in TBI patients. Thirty subjects with TBI were enrolled at the Neurorehabilitation Unit of the IRCCS Neurolesi Center and divided into either the Conventional Attention Process Training Group (C_APT: n = 15) or the Virtual-Based Attention Processes Training Group (VB_APT: n = 15), treated with the Virtual Reality Rehabilitation System (VRRS-Evo). All of the patients were evaluated with a specific psychometric battery before (T0) and after the end (T1) of each program. We found statistically significant differences between the two groups, in particular concerning global cognitive status (p p p p p p p p p p < 0.007). Our results suggest that non-immersive virtual reality may be a useful and effective approach for the attention processes recovery and mood of TBI patients, leading to better cognitive and behavioral outcomes.

Keywords

• traumatic brain injury
• attention process training
• virtual-based cognitive rehabilitation