Alzheimer Disease, Memory Disorders
Conditions
Keywords
alzheimer disease, virtual reality, cognitive therapy, neuropsychological tests
Brief summary
This study aims to evaluate whether immersive virtual reality (VR) can improve cognitive function and memory in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Twenty participants in Burgos, Spain, will engage in VR sessions that recreate scenes from 1960s Burgos, representing environments familiar from the participants' youth. The effects of these VR-based cognitive stimulation sessions will be assessed through pre- and post-intervention evaluations, including behavioral observations, EEG monitoring of brain activity, and standardized neurocognitive tests (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Clock-Drawing Test, and Verbal Fluency Test).
Detailed description
Introduction: Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline. Virtual reality (VR) technologies offer an innovative approach to cognitive stimulation in patients with this condition. This study will evaluate the impact of VR on memory and cognition improvement in patients with Alzheimer's disease in Burgos. Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive and memory stimulation through virtual reality experiences in patients with Alzheimer's disease, using behavioral analysis, biometric data (EEG), and neurocognitive testing. Methodology: A total of 20 patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at a specialized center in Burgos will be selected. The patients will be exposed to virtual reality scenarios recreating the city of Burgos in the 1960s, a period corresponding to their youth. Their cognitive and emotional status will be assessed before and after the sessions using neurocognitive tests, behavioral monitoring, and biometric data recording (EEG). Analyses of variance (ANOVA), analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), and multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were perfomed
Interventions
OTHERVirtual reality
The intervention consists of a series of immersive virtual reality (VR) sessions designed to provide cognitive stimulation for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Participants in the experimental group will be exposed to VR environments that recreate the city of Burgos as it appeared in the 1960s, an era corresponding to their youth. These VR experiences will include familiar scenes, landmarks, and culturally relevant settings designed to evoke personal memories and enhance cognitive engagement.
Sponsors
Universidad de Burgos
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE (Investigator)
Intervention model description
This is a experimental design with non-equivalent groups (pretest-posttest) carried out in a more realistic setting, where the dependent variables of interest were manipulated by the researcher under controlled conditions.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
60 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment * Aged 60 years or older. * Resident or attending care at the Alzheimer's care center in Burgos. * Capable of providing informed consent, either directly or through a legally authorized representative. * Adequate vision and hearing (corrected if necessary) to engage with the VR experience. * Able to tolerate wearing a VR headset for sessions of approximately 15-30 minutes.
Exclusion criteria
* Diagnosis of other neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis). * History of severe psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder). * Severe vision or hearing impairment that cannot be corrected (e.g., legal blindness). * History of epilepsy, seizure disorders, or other conditions that may be aggravated by VR exposure. * Active skin conditions or infections that prevent the use of a VR headset or EEG sensors. * Participation in another interventional clinical trial within the last 30 days.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Cognitive Function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment - MoCA) | Baseline and immediately after the last virtual reality session | Change in cognitive function will be assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The MoCA evaluates multiple cognitive domains, including memory, attention, language, executive function, and visuospatial abilities. Total scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive function. The change score will be calculated as the post-intervention score minus the baseline score. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in emotional well-being assessed with the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) | Baseline and immediately after the last virtual reality session | Change in emotional well-being will be assessed using the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). The SWLS is a 5-item scale that assesses global life satisfaction. Total scores range from 5 to 35, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction with life and better emotional well-being. The change score will be calculated as the post-intervention score minus the baseline score. |
| Change in Verbal Fluency (Verbal Fluency Test) | Baseline and post-intervention. | Change in the number of words generated in a 60-second period, assessing language and cognitive processing speed. |
| Change in attention and processing speed | Baseline and immediately after the last virtual reality session | Attention, visual scanning, and processing speed will be assessed using the Trail Making Test Part A. The outcome will be the time required to complete the task. Lower completion times indicate better performance. |
| Change in executive function and cognitive flexibility assessed with the Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B) | Baseline and immediately after the last virtual reality session | Executive function and cognitive flexibility will be assessed using the Trail Making Test Part B. The outcome will be the time required to complete the task. Lower completion times indicate better performance. |
| Change in positive affect assessed with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form (PANAS-S) | Baseline and immediately after the last virtual reality session. | Positive affect will be assessed using the positive affect subscale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form (PANAS-S). Higher scores indicate greater positive affect. |
| Change in negative affect assessed with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form (PANAS-S) | Baseline and immediately after the last virtual reality session | Negative affect will be assessed using the negative affect subscale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form (PANAS-S). Higher scores indicate greater negative affect. |
| Immediate emotional response assessed with an Emotional Visual Analog Scale | Baseline and immediately after the last virtual reality session | Immediate emotional response will be assessed after each intervention session using an Emotional Visual Analog Scale ranging from 0 to 10, where higher scores indicate a more positive emotional state. |
Countries
Spain
Outcome results
None listed