Around 25,000 war veterans in Portugal suffer posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This clinically controlled study evaluates virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) as an alternative procedure to reduce PTSD symptoms. Ten patients were assigned to three groups: VRET, exposure in imagination (EI), and waiting list (WL). The patients were Portuguese veterans from a series of wars fought in former African colonies more than 30 years ago. While the EI group participated in traditional imagination therapy, the VRET group was exposed to a virtual reality (VR) war scenario. Cues such as ambush, mortar blasting, and waiting for rescue were used in the VR. Patients enrolled in the VRET group showed statistical reduction of PTSD-associated disorders like depression and anxiety. Far from being conclusive, this pilot study nonetheless presents some promising data on the use of VRET on old war veteran populations.

This study aims at assessing an online portal where patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) can carry on memory and attention exercises outside clinic premises. The training took place in a virtual reality (VR) setup where one TBI patient had to complete a set of 10 online VR sessions. The neuropsychological evaluation was carried out with the PASAT (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task) at pre-, during and post-treatment assessments. The results showed an increase in working memory and attention levels from the fi rst to the fi nal assessment, which can suggest that VR applications may promote the autonomy and increase in overall quality of life of these patients. The average time for task conclusion was 5 min.

No abstract

Immersive virtual reality is thought to be advantageous by leading to higher levels of presence. However, and despite users getting actively involved in immersive three-dimensional virtual environments that incorporate sound and motion, there are individual factors, such as age, video game knowledge, and the predisposition to immersion, that may be associated with the quality of virtual reality experience. Moreover, one particular concern for users engaged in immersive virtual reality environments (VREs) is the possibility of side effects, such as cybersickness. The literature suggests that at least 60% of virtual reality users report having felt symptoms of cybersickness, which reduces the quality of the virtual reality experience. The aim of this study was thus to profile the right user to be involved in a VRE through head-mounted display. To examine which user characteristics are associated with the most effective virtual reality experience (lower cybersickness), a multiple correspondence analysis combined with cluster analysis technique was performed. Results revealed three distinct profiles, showing that the PC gamer profile is more associated with higher levels of virtual reality effectiveness, that is, higher predisposition to be immersed and reduced cybersickness symptoms in the VRE than console gamer and nongamer. These findings can be a useful orientation in clinical practice and future research as they help identify which users are more predisposed to benefit from immersive VREs.

Virtual exercises to promote cognitive recovery in stroke patients: the comparison between head mounted displays versus screen exposure methods Abstract: The cognitive rehabilitation of stroke is often related to improvement of executive functioning through repeated and systematic training of memory and attention exercises, in which virtual reality may be a valid approach. Several devices have been used as visual outputs. Head mounted displays (HMD) and desktop screens displays are among them. HMDs are usually perceived as being more immersive than screens. However, the HMD presents several shortcomings if a widespread use is the objective. In this way, this study aims to assess the prospect of opting for screen displays as an alternative to HMD within virtual reality (VR)-based applications to rehabilitate memory and attention impairments in stroke patients. A sample of 17 patients with memory and attention deficits resulting from stroke were recruited from the hospital Centro de Medicina da Reabilitação do Alcoitão. The patients were randomly assigned to two different groups: a) HMD-based VR; and b) desktop screen-based VR. The patients in the experimental groups underwent a VR training program with 12 sessions of memory and attention exercises. These patients were assessed before and after the VR training sessions with the Wechsler Memory Scale for memory and the Toulouse-Piéron for attention functioning. The results showed increased working memory and sustained attention from initial to final assessment regardless of the VR device used. These data may suggest better functional independence following VR-based intervention and support the use of non-expensive displays as an alternative to high-end setups commonly used in VR applications devised for rehabilitation purposes.