SynthesisFrontiers in neurology2025
Effectiveness of VR-based cognitive training and games on cognitive rehabilitation in patients with MCI: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 5 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Virtual reality-based training in patients with alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.The journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease · 2026Pooled it
- Immersive Technologies for Cognitive Rehabilitation in Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Clinical trial characteristics and intervention profiles for mild cognitive impairment: a systematic analysis of WHO ICTRP registry.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Pooled it
- Incorporated vs Additional Dual-Task Training in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.Clinical interventions in aging · 2026Trial
- Are gamifying exergames the future of intervention for people with dementia? Systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in human neuroscience · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) represents a prodromal dementia stage marked by cognitive decline without functional impairment. Given limited drug efficacy and global aging, non-pharmacological interventions are urgently needed. Virtual reality (VR) enables immersive cognitive rehabilitation, yet evidence remains inconsistent due to divergent intervention approaches (training vs. gaming) and technical parameters like immersion level. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of VR-based cognitive training and gaming interventions on cognitive function in older adults with MCI and to investigate the moderating role of immersion level. Methods: We systematically searched four electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus) from inception to July 20, 2025, for RCTs investigating VR interventions (cognitive training or games) in individuals aged ≥ 55 years diagnosed with MCI. Two independent reviewers performed study selection, data extraction (including intervention characteristics, implementation details, and behavior change techniques), and risk-of-bias assessment using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (RevMan 5.4.1). Standardized mean differences (Hedges's g) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled using random-effects models in Stata 18.0. Heterogeneity was quantified using Results: Of the 2,486 articles retrieved in total, 11 studies were included in the analysis. VR demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation among patients with MCI (Hedges's g = 0.6, 95% Conclusion: VR-based interventions, including cognitive training and games, effectively improve cognitive function in MCI patients, with VR games showing a trend toward greater efficacy. Immersion level critically influences therapeutic outcomes, requiring optimized sensory integration while accommodating individual tolerance. These findings support supervised clinical VR training alongside engaging home-based protocols to enhance adherence. Future development of standardized immersion adjustment and personalized guidelines will advance utility across care settings.
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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.