Do Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Benefit from Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality Cognitive Training? Preliminary Results from an Exploratory Study on an Underestimated Problem
A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to any part of the spinal cord, caused by traumatic or non-traumatic events. Clinically, SCI is associated with partial or complete loss of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions below the site of injury. However, cognitive alterations in specific domains can al...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/6/945 |
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| author | Maria Grazia Maggio Mirjam Bonanno Alfredo Manuli Maria Pia Onesta Rosaria De Luca Angelo Quartarone Rocco Salvatore Calabrò |
| author_facet | Maria Grazia Maggio Mirjam Bonanno Alfredo Manuli Maria Pia Onesta Rosaria De Luca Angelo Quartarone Rocco Salvatore Calabrò |
| author_sort | Maria Grazia Maggio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to any part of the spinal cord, caused by traumatic or non-traumatic events. Clinically, SCI is associated with partial or complete loss of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions below the site of injury. However, cognitive alterations in specific domains can also occur. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of semi-immersive virtual reality (VR) cognitive training (using the BTS Nirvana, Italy) in promoting global functional recovery in patients with SCI. Forty-two SCI patients were included in this retrospective case-control study, and the analysis was carried out using an electronic data retrieval system. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups with the same demographic and medical characteristics: the control group (CG: 21 patients) participated in traditional therapy, whereas the experimental group (EG: 21 patients) received training using semi-immersive VR. In both groups, there were patients with A- or B-grade impairments according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scale. Both study groups underwent the same amount of cognitive training (but using a different type of training: conventional vs. innovative), consisting of three weekly sessions for eight weeks (24 sessions in total), each session lasting approximately sixty minutes, as well as the same amount of physiotherapy. The effect of the two treatments (EG/CG) was significantly different in global cognitive functioning (MOCA: <i>p</i> = 0.001), mood (BDI: <i>p</i> = 0.006), and overall quality of life (SF12 Total: <i>p</i> < 0.001), especially in physical perception (SF12-Physics: <i>p</i> = 0.004). Our results suggest that SCI patients could benefit from cognitive training using semi-immersive VR. Indeed, the integration of cognitive exercises that require movement and provide increased feedback could allow for better motor and cognitive recovery in people with SCI. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:40:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ac5cf19c9e14b4886d3c021a8efe59e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:40:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ac5cf19c9e14b4886d3c021a8efe59e2023-11-18T09:36:45ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252023-06-0113694510.3390/brainsci13060945Do Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Benefit from Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality Cognitive Training? Preliminary Results from an Exploratory Study on an Underestimated ProblemMaria Grazia Maggio0Mirjam Bonanno1Alfredo Manuli2Maria Pia Onesta3Rosaria De Luca4Angelo Quartarone5Rocco Salvatore Calabrò6Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Science, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95125 Catania, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino Pulejo”, S. S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, ItalyRehabilitation Unit, AOU Policlinico “G. Martino”, 98124 Messina, ItalySpinal Cord Unit, Cannizzaro Hospital, 95126 Catania, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino Pulejo”, S. S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino Pulejo”, S. S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino Pulejo”, S. S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, ItalyA spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to any part of the spinal cord, caused by traumatic or non-traumatic events. Clinically, SCI is associated with partial or complete loss of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions below the site of injury. However, cognitive alterations in specific domains can also occur. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of semi-immersive virtual reality (VR) cognitive training (using the BTS Nirvana, Italy) in promoting global functional recovery in patients with SCI. Forty-two SCI patients were included in this retrospective case-control study, and the analysis was carried out using an electronic data retrieval system. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups with the same demographic and medical characteristics: the control group (CG: 21 patients) participated in traditional therapy, whereas the experimental group (EG: 21 patients) received training using semi-immersive VR. In both groups, there were patients with A- or B-grade impairments according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scale. Both study groups underwent the same amount of cognitive training (but using a different type of training: conventional vs. innovative), consisting of three weekly sessions for eight weeks (24 sessions in total), each session lasting approximately sixty minutes, as well as the same amount of physiotherapy. The effect of the two treatments (EG/CG) was significantly different in global cognitive functioning (MOCA: <i>p</i> = 0.001), mood (BDI: <i>p</i> = 0.006), and overall quality of life (SF12 Total: <i>p</i> < 0.001), especially in physical perception (SF12-Physics: <i>p</i> = 0.004). Our results suggest that SCI patients could benefit from cognitive training using semi-immersive VR. Indeed, the integration of cognitive exercises that require movement and provide increased feedback could allow for better motor and cognitive recovery in people with SCI.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/6/945spinal cord injuryneurorehabilitationsemi-immersive virtual realitycognitive training |
| spellingShingle | Maria Grazia Maggio Mirjam Bonanno Alfredo Manuli Maria Pia Onesta Rosaria De Luca Angelo Quartarone Rocco Salvatore Calabrò Do Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Benefit from Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality Cognitive Training? Preliminary Results from an Exploratory Study on an Underestimated Problem Brain Sciences spinal cord injury neurorehabilitation semi-immersive virtual reality cognitive training |
| title | Do Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Benefit from Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality Cognitive Training? Preliminary Results from an Exploratory Study on an Underestimated Problem |
| title_full | Do Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Benefit from Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality Cognitive Training? Preliminary Results from an Exploratory Study on an Underestimated Problem |
| title_fullStr | Do Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Benefit from Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality Cognitive Training? Preliminary Results from an Exploratory Study on an Underestimated Problem |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Benefit from Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality Cognitive Training? Preliminary Results from an Exploratory Study on an Underestimated Problem |
| title_short | Do Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Benefit from Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality Cognitive Training? Preliminary Results from an Exploratory Study on an Underestimated Problem |
| title_sort | do individuals with spinal cord injury benefit from semi immersive virtual reality cognitive training preliminary results from an exploratory study on an underestimated problem |
| topic | spinal cord injury neurorehabilitation semi-immersive virtual reality cognitive training |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/6/945 |
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