Feasibility and Tolerability of a Culture-Based Virtual Reality (VR) Training Program in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Jong-Hwan Park, Yung Liao, Du-Ri Kim, Seunghwan Song, Jun Ho Lim, Hyuntae Park, Yeanhwa Lee and Kyung Won Park
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Jong-Hwan Park: Health Convergence Medicine Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan 49241, Korea
Yung Liao: Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan
Du-Ri Kim: Health Convergence Medicine Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan 49241, Korea
Seunghwan Song: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan 49241, Korea
Jun Ho Lim: Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Korea
Hyuntae Park: Department of Health Care and Science, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Korea
Yeanhwa Lee: SY Inotech, Busan 48520, Korea
Kyung Won Park: Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Korea

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 9, 1-9

Abstract: The present study examined whether a culture-based virtual reality (VR) training program is feasible and tolerable for patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and whether it could improve cognitive function in these patients. Twenty-one outpatients with aMCI were randomized to either the VR-based training group or the control group in a 1:1 ratio. The VR-based training group participated in training for 30 min/day, two days/week, for three months (24 times). The VR-based program was designed based on Korean traditional culture and used attention, processing speed, executive function and memory conditions to stimulate cognitive function. The adherence to the culture-based VR training program was 91.55% ± 6.41% in the VR group. The only adverse events observed in the VR group were dizziness (4.2%) and fatigue (8.3%). Analysis revealed that the VR-based training group exhibited no significant differences following the three-month VR program in Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) scores, working memory functions such as performance on the digit span test, or in Stroop test performance and word fluency. We conclude that although the 12-week culture-based VR training program did not improve cognitive function, our findings revealed that the culture-based VR training program was feasible and tolerable for participants with aMCI.

Keywords: older adults; cognitive function; intervention; dementia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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