Department of Physical Education and Sports, University of Granada, 18010 Granada, Spain.
HEME Research Group, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jul 28;18(15):8005. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18158005.
Aging is a global phenomenon affecting numerous developed and developing countries. During this process, the functional state of the body, especially the cognitive state, declines. This research investigated the impact of virtual reality exercises on the cognitive status and dual-task performance in the elderly of Tabriz city, Iran. Forty men with a mean age of 71.5 were selected and assigned to either the experimental ( = 20) or control groups ( = 20). Both groups completed the Mini-Mental State Examination for cognitive status. The pre-test was performed through the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) along with a countdown of numbers. Then, the experimental group practiced virtual driving for six weeks, while the control group received no treatment. After the treatment, both groups completed the post-test. At each stage, the test was performed as a dual motor task as well. Data were analyzed using the paired -test and the independent sample -test to show the intra-group and inter-group differences, respectively. The results showed a significant improvement in the cognitive status and dual-task performance of the elderly men after the six-week training period, which was also significant compared to the control group. Virtual reality driving can be used to improve the cognitive status and dual task performance of elderly men.
衰老现象是一个全球性的问题，影响着众多发达国家和发展中国家。在这一过程中，身体的功能状态，特别是认知状态，会下降。本研究旨在探讨虚拟现实练习对伊朗大不里士市老年人认知状态和双重任务表现的影响。选取了 40 名平均年龄为 71.5 岁的男性，将他们随机分为实验组（n=20）和对照组（n=20）。两组均完成了简易精神状态检查以评估认知状态。在预测试中，参与者进行了计时起立行走测试（TUG）和倒数计数，以评估双重任务表现。随后，实验组进行了为期六周的虚拟现实驾驶练习，而对照组则不接受任何治疗。治疗结束后，两组均完成了后测试。在每个阶段，测试都作为双重运动任务进行。使用配对 t 检验和独立样本 t 检验分别分析数据，以显示组内和组间的差异。结果表明，经过六周的训练，老年人的认知状态和双重任务表现均得到显著改善，与对照组相比，改善更为显著。虚拟现实驾驶练习可用于改善老年人的认知状态和双重任务表现。
