Do patients with neurological disorders benefit from immersive virtual reality? A scoping review on the emerging use of the computer-assisted rehabilitation environment.
Maria G Maggio, Rocha P Cezar, Demetrio Milardi and 5 others
PMID 37971719WHAT IT FOUND
Seven studies on immersive VR show it safely improves gait, balance, and some cognitive skills in neurological patients.
However, evidence on emotional symptoms is conflicting, and high costs mean this technology is not yet ready for routine clinical use.
Key findings
01The review included only seven studies, all involving small sample sizes, which limits the ability to generalize the findings to the broader neurological population.
02Participants with Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, or Traumatic Brain Injury showed improvements in motor outcomes such as gait speed, step length, and balance stability after training.
03Findings regarding emotional outcomes were inconsistent; while one study suggested benefits for anxiety and depression in Parkinson's patients, another found no effect on mood in Multiple Sclerosis patients.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The review is based on only seven studies, all with small sample sizes, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions or generalize to the wider neurological population. The studies included a heterogeneous mix of diagnoses (PD, MS, TBI), which complicates comparisons because recovery trajectories differ significantly between neurodegenerative diseases and acquired brain injuries. There is a risk of publication bias, as only one of the included studies had a registered protocol, and the review did not register its own protocol. The exclusion of non-English articles and the focus solely on CAREN (excluding other VR systems) limits the scope of the evidence. The evidence for emotional and cognitive outcomes is conflicting, with some studies showing benefits and others showing no effect.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with any financial organization. The research was supported by the Italian Ministry of Health's Research Fund 2023.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume CAREN is a proven, effective treatment for all neurological conditions. The evidence comes from only seven small studies with conflicting results on emotional outcomes, and the high cost and specialized requirements mean it is currently restricted to research settings rather than routine clinical care.