Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39793970›Full record

SynthesisJournal of medical Internet research2025

Virtual Reality Interventions for Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Qin Yang, Liuxin Zhang, Fangyuan Chang, Hongyi Yang, Bin Chen, Zhao Liu

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of medical Internet research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 12 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
36citing papers in PubMed, 12 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

36 citing papers in PubMed, 12 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Qin YangSchool of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0009-0008-5332-1904
Liuxin ZhangSchool of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0001-7722-3761
Fangyuan ChangSchool of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2069-0507
Hongyi YangSchool of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8293-3669
Bin ChenSchool of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4783-2069
Zhao LiuSchool of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0002-0673-3235

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAlzheimer disease is incurable, but it is possible to intervene and slow down the progression of dementia during periods of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) through virtual reality (VR) technology.

objectiveThis study aimed to analyze the effects of VR interventions on older adults with MCI. The examined outcomes include cognitive abilities, mood, quality of life, and physical fitness, including general cognitive function, memory performance, attention and information processing speed, executive function, language proficiency, visuospatial abilities, depression, daily mobility of individuals, muscle performance, and gait and balance.

methodsA total of 4 web-based databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Ovid) were searched up to December 30, 2023, for randomized controlled trials assessing the self-reported outcomes of VR-based technology on cognition, mood, quality of life, and physical fitness in older adults (aged ≥55 years) with MCI. Two reviewers independently screened the search results and reference lists of the identified papers and related reviews. Data on the intervention components and delivery and behavioral change techniques used were extracted. A meta-analysis, risk-of-bias sensitivity analysis, and subgroup analysis were performed where appropriate to explore potential moderators. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach was used to assess the quality of evidence.

resultsThis review analyzed 18 studies involving 722 older adults with MCI. VR was delivered through different immersion levels with VR cognitive training, VR physical training, or VR cognitive-motor dual-task training. VR interventions showed significant improvements in memory (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.2, 95% CI 0.02-0.38), attention and information processing speed (SMD 0.25, 95% CI 0.06-0.45), and executive function (SMD 0.22, 95% CI 0.02-0.42). VR without therapist involvement improved memory as well as attention and information processing speed. VR cognitive training also resulted in significant improvements in attention and information processing speed in older adults with MCI (SMD 0.31, 95% CI 0.05-0.58). In addition, immersive VR had a significant impact on improving attention and information processing speed (SMD 0.25; 95% CI 0.01-0.50) and executive function (SMD 0.25; 95% CI 0.00-0.50). However, the effects of the intervention were very small in terms of general cognitive function, language proficiency, visuospatial abilities, depression, daily living ability, muscle performance, and gait and balance. Quality of evidence varied, with moderate ratings for certain cognitive functions and low ratings for others, based on the GRADE approach.

conclusionsVR interventions can improve memory, attention and information processing speed, and executive function in older adults with MCI. The quality of evidence is moderate to low, and further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore additional health-related outcomes.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionVirtual RealityAgedHumansMiddle AgedQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAlzheimer diseaseattentioncognitive functionexecutive functionhealth carememorymeta-analysismild cognitive impairmentolder adultsvirtual realityVR

Identifiers

PMID39793970
PMCPMC11759915

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.