Could Virtual Reality (VR) complement traditional cognitive assessments by offering more objective, standardized measurements?
This week’s #SundayResearchDive explores a new study by Sorrentino et al. investigating VR as an objective assessment tool for cognitive functions, particularly distractor inhibition in stroke patients.
The Study: Using VR for Cognitive Testing
📌 Researchers tested 30 participants (15 stroke survivors, 15 healthy controls) using a VR-based distractor inhibition task designed to measure visual attention and cognitive control.
📌 They compared immersive VR (iVR) vs. non-immersive VR (niVR) to determine if full immersion impacts performance.
📌 Key outcomes measured:
- Reaction time (RT): Speed of responses.
- Error rates: Accuracy in ignoring distractors.
- Omissions: Missed responses indicating attentional lapses.
Key Findings: Can VR Enhance Clinical Assessments?
✅ VR-based cognitive tests showed significant differences between stroke patients and healthy controls, with a potential for clinical use.
✅ iVR led to slower reaction times than niVR, suggesting increased cognitive load due to immersion.
✅ Error rates and omission rates were similar between iVR and niVR, meaning both VR formats provided consistent cognitive assessment results.
🎯 Not a New Concept: VR-Based Cognitive Tests Have Been in Development for Years
🔍 Early Work by Skip Rizzo
📌 Rizzo and colleagues developed the Virtual Classroom—a VR-based tool designed to assess attention, working memory, and executive function in children with ADHD.
📌 Their studies found that VR tests correlate well with traditional neuropsychological assessments, showing that immersive environments can provide clinically meaningful data.
📌 This early work laid the foundation for using VR as an assessment tool across multiple conditions, including PTSD, TBI and neurodegenerative disorders.
🔍 Expanding VR-Based Cognitive Tests
📌 The Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT) was developed to evaluate real-world cognitive function in schizophrenia through a simulated shopping trip.
📌 Nesplora Aula, launched in 2011, became one of the first standardized VR neuropsychological tests, using an immersive classroom to measure attention and impulsivity in children.
📌 These tools have shown that VR can complement clinical expertise by offering more ecological, interactive assessments compared to static tests like the Stroop or Trail Making Tests.
Why This Matters: VR as a Clinical Support Tool, Not a Replacement
💡 Therapists bring essential expertise in cognitive evaluation and patient interaction—VR does not replace this. Instead, it could:
✔ Standardize administration → Ensuring every patient gets the same test conditions.
✔ Provide precise timing & tracking → Measuring reaction times to the millisecond for subtle cognitive impairments.
✔ Support clinical decision-making → Adding quantitative, objective data that complements therapist observations.
Final Thoughts: A Step Toward More Objective, Data-Driven Cognitive Testing?
This study adds to the growing body of evidence that VR could be a valuable tool in cognitive assessments by providing standardized, objective data. However, without direct validation against traditional neuropsychological tests, VR remains an evolving tool rather than a replacement for clinical expertise.
🔗 Read the full study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40047653/
#VRforHealth #Neuropsychology #DigitalCognition #VirtualReality #CognitiveTesting #SundayResearchDive
Extra links:
Rizzo et al. – https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/10949310050078940?journalCode=cpb
Ruse et al. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25083416/
