Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40155673›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Exploring the effects of olfactory VR on visuospatial memory and cognitive processing in older adults.

Ryota Sunami, Takamichi Nakamoto, Nathan Cohen, Takefumi Kobayashi, Kohsuke Yamamoto

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

5 authors.

Ryota SunamiSchool of Engineering, Institute of Science Tokyo, Yokohama, Japan.
Takamichi NakamotoSchool of Engineering, Institute of Science Tokyo, Yokohama, Japan. nakamoto.t.ab@m.titech.ac.jp.
Nathan CohenCentral Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, London, UK.
Takefumi KobayashiFaculty of Human Studies, Bunkyo Gakuin University, Fujimino, Japan.
Kohsuke YamamotoFaculty of Science and Engineering, Hosei University, Koganei, Japan.

Funding

Japan Science and Technology Agency JPMJMI22H4
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study examined the effects of Olfactory Virtual Reality (VR) Gaming on cognitive performance in older adults. A VR game environment ("Interactive Smellscape") was created to enable this, and 30 participants aged 63-90 years completed both VR gaming sessions and cognitive assessments, conducted with a 6-day interval between the two sessions. Significant improvements were observed in spatial tasks of Japanese characters and words, with notable enhancements specifically in visuospatial rotation performance and word-location recall accuracy. However, no significant changes were detected in olfactory identification or other general cognitive tasks. These findings suggest potential cognitive benefits of incorporating VR and olfactory stimuli into interventions for older populations, particularly for tasks requiring attention and spatial processing. The results further underscore the importance of task-specific designs to maximize the utility of multisensory VR systems for cognitive rehabilitation.

Indexed as

CognitionMemoryOlfactory PerceptionSmellSpatial MemoryVirtual RealityAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedVideo Games

Identifiers

PMID40155673
PMCPMC11953428

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.