Pardini Susanna, Calcagno Riccardo, Genovese Anna, Salvadori Elio, Ibarra Oscar Mayora
Digital Health Research, Centre for Digital Health and Well-Being, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, 38123 Trento, Italy.
Brain Sci. 2025 May 13;15(5):500. doi: 10.3390/brainsci15050500.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being explored as a non-pharmacological therapy to enhance the well-being of people with cognitive impairment (PwCI). Studies suggest that VR-based interventions improve mood, reduce apathy, and enhance emotional engagement, making VR a valuable tool for cognitive and emotional support. This scoping review synthesizes evidence on VR-based reminiscence therapy (VRRT) for PwCI. It aims to map existing knowledge, highlight implementation challenges, and offer practical, technical design, and evidence-informed recommendations for clinical integration-building on prior reviews that have touched on these aspects, but placing a stronger and more structured emphasis on real-world applicability and translational insights. This review draws extensively on qualitative findings across the included studies to better capture contextual factors, user experiences, facilitator roles, and barriers to usability. Moreover, unlike previous research, we included only studies involving individuals-either directly or via proxies-with an age-related cognitive impairment, formally diagnosed by a qualified authority.
A systematic search based on the PRISMA-ScR guideline identified 310 studies, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria. These studies assessed the effectiveness and feasibility of immersive VRRT. Research methodologies included longitudinal ( = 2), cross-sectional ( = 2), mixed-methods ( = 4), and randomized controlled trials ( = 3)-with most studies focusing on feasibility-with a cumulative sample size of approximately 287 participants. The quality of the included studies was generally moderate; common limitations included small sample sizes, short intervention periods, and limited control conditions.
The findings highlight VRRT's potential to enhance engagement, emotional well-being, and cognitive function. However, usability challenges and technical limitations persist. While VR offers promising benefits, further research is needed to refine interventions, address personalization barriers, and assess long-term effects.
This review underscores the importance of integrating VRRT into care programs and improving accessibility. Future research should enhance methodological rigor to ensure reliable outcomes and maximize VR's impact on PwCI well-being. The scoping review protocol is registered a priori with the Center for Open Science (OSF) (registration type: OSF Preregistration, data registered: 15 November 2024, associated project: osf.io/r7jha, identifier: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/R7JHA).
背景/目的：虚拟现实（VR）作为一种非药物疗法，正越来越多地被用于改善认知障碍患者（PwCI）的健康状况。研究表明，基于VR的干预措施可改善情绪、减少冷漠并增强情感参与度，使VR成为认知和情感支持的宝贵工具。本范围综述综合了关于针对PwCI的基于VR的回忆疗法（VRRT）的证据。其目的是梳理现有知识，突出实施挑战，并为临床整合提供实用、技术设计和基于证据的建议——在前述涉及这些方面的综述基础上进行拓展，但更加强化和结构化地强调实际应用和转化见解。本综述广泛借鉴了纳入研究中的定性研究结果，以更好地把握背景因素、用户体验、促进者角色和可用性障碍。此外，与以往研究不同的是，我们仅纳入了涉及经合格权威机构正式诊断患有与年龄相关认知障碍的个体（直接或通过代理人）的研究。
根据PRISMA-ScR指南进行的系统检索共识别出310项研究，其中11项符合纳入标准。这些研究评估了沉浸式VRRT的有效性和可行性。研究方法包括纵向研究（n = 2）、横断面研究（n = 2）、混合方法研究（n = 4）和随机对照试验（n = 3）——大多数研究侧重于可行性——累计样本量约为287名参与者。纳入研究的质量总体中等；常见局限性包括样本量小、干预期短和对照条件有限。
研究结果突出了VRRT在增强参与度、情感健康和认知功能方面的潜力。然而，可用性挑战和技术限制依然存在。虽然VR具有显著益处，但仍需进一步研究以优化干预措施、解决个性化障碍并评估长期效果。
本综述强调了将VRRT纳入护理计划并提高其可及性的重要性。未来的研究应提高方法的严谨性，以确保获得可靠的结果，并最大限度地发挥VR对PwCI健康状况的影响。本范围综述方案已预先在开放科学中心（OSF）注册（注册类型：OSF预注册，注册数据：2024年11月15日，相关项目：osf.io/r7jha，标识符：DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/R7JHA）。
