ArticleBehavioural neurology2020
Too Real to Be Virtual: Autonomic and EEG Responses to Extreme Stress Scenarios in Virtual Reality.
Article in Behavioural neurology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed.
- Game changer? Cognitive-motor effects of VR exergaming compared to video-based training.Annals of medicine · 2026Trial
- Knowledge Gain and the Impact of Stress in a Fully Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Medical Emergencies Training With Automated Feedback: Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Trial
- Comparing embedded virtual reality combat to traditional warm-ups on fencing performance and fatigue: Protocol for a randomized crossover trial.JSAMS plus · 2026Article
- Heart rate variability dynamics during virtual reality roller coaster experience: correlations with vestibular function and motion sickness susceptibility.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Approach-Avoidance Bias in Virtual and Real-World Simulations: Insights from a Systematic Review of Experimental Setups.Brain sciences · 2025Review
- Sex-related differences in young binge drinkers on the neurophysiological response to stress in virtual reality.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- Physiological and Subjective Measures of Anxiety with Repeated Exposure to Virtual Construction Sites at Different Heights.Safety and health at work · 2023Article
- Review
- Walk the plank! Using mobile electroencephalography to investigate emotional lateralization of immersive fear in virtual reality.Royal Society open science · 2023Article
- Review of Psychophysiological and Psychotherapeutic Studies of Stress Using Virtual Reality Technologies.Neuroscience and behavioral physiology · 2023Article
- Assessing Electroencephalography as a Stress Indicator: A VR High-Altitude Scenario Monitored through EEG and ECG.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Multimodal Assessment of Changes in Physiological Indicators when Presenting a Video Fragment on Screen (2D) versus a VR (3D) Environment.Behavioural neurology · 2022Article
- Using a 360° Virtual Reality or 2D Video to Learn History Taking and Physical Examination Skills for Undergraduate Medical Students: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR serious games · 2021Article
- Workplace Mental State Monitoring during VR-Based Training for Offshore Environment.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The evolution of virtual reality (VR) technologies requires setting boundaries of its use. In this study, 3 female participants were experiencing VR scenarios with stressful content and their activity of the autonomic nervous system and EEG were recorded. It has been discovered that virtual reality can evoke acute stress reactions accompanied by activation of the sympathetic nervous system and a decrease in the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. The high-stress response is accompanied by a decrease in the power of the EEG, and, on the contrary, the activation of the avoidance reaction is accompanied by an increase in the power of the EEG alpha waves. Therefore, the use of stressful VR content can cause high emotional stress to a user and restrictions should be considered.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.