Virtual reality exposure therapy for neuro-psychomotor recovery in adults: a systematic review

Abstract

Objective

To analyse the virtual reality applications in the subjects’ neuro-psychomotor functions rehabilitation with motor and/or neuropsychiatric impairment.

Methods

The search was carried out in nine databases (Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, LILACS, and SciELO), from December 2017 to March 2019. An additional manual search was performed, taking into consideration references of the included papers, through the same eligibility criteria. The methodological quality of the included papers was evaluated using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro).

Results

One hundred and twenty-two papers were selected by the initial screening, but only 33 studies participated in the final inclusion in the study (11 clinical trials and 14 experimental studies). The data extracted were: the proposed objective, the sample population, the neurological condition treated, the VR modality used in the procedures and the study intervention period.

Conclusions

Virtual reality supports the rehabilitation process of neuro-psychomotor functions, allowing potential gains in the patients’ recovery. Therefore, its development facilitates its availability and access in the future.

Implications for rehabilitation

• It has minimal adverse effects during the virtual therapies performance, such as the presence of vertigo related to cybersickness conditions, suggesting virtual reality as a safe rehabilitation tool, compared to other therapies.

• Virtual reality use is useful and effective in helping the rehabilitation process of motor, cognitive and psychosocial functions.

• It plays a role as an adjunctive and complementary therapy in the neuro-psychomotor rehabilitation process to obtain a clinically significant result.

Keywords:

• Virtual reality exposure therapy
• rehabilitation
• neurological disorder
• mental health recovery
• technology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.