Virtual exercises to promote cognitive recovery in stroke patients

The cognitive rehabilitation of stroke often improves executive functioning through repeated and systematic training of memory and attention exercises, for which virtual reality may be a valid approach. Several devices have been used as visual outputs, foremost Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) and desktop screens. HMDs are usually more immersive than screens. However, they present several shortcomings for widespread use. The aim of this study was to assess the prospect of opting for screen displays as an alternative to HMD within virtual reality (VR) based applications to rehabilitate memory and attention impairments in stroke patients. 17 stroke patients with memory and attention deficits were recruited from the hospital Centro de Medicina da Reabilitação do Alcoitão, and randomly assigned to two different groups: a) HMD-based VR; and b) desktop screen-based VR. The patients in both groups underwent a 9-sessions virtual reality (VR) training programme with memory and attention exercises. Patients were assessed before and after the VR training sessions with the Wechsler Memory Scale for memory and the Toulouse- Piéron for attention functioning. The results showed increased working memory and sustained attention from initial to final assessment regardless of the VR device used. These results suggest better functional independence following VR-based intervention and support the use of non-expensive displays as an alternative to high-end setups commonly used in VR applications devised for rehabilitation purposes.