Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41322908›Full record

ReviewCureus2025

Innovating Stroke Recovery: A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality in Cognitive Rehabilitation.

Arasi Pearia Anadachee, Riya Patil, Kshitija Gajadhur, Hutesh Singh, Milakshna Devi Chuckowry, Ashima Elsa Philip, Indrajit Banerjee

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

7 authors.

Arasi Pearia AnadacheeInternal Medicine, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Belle Rive, MUS.
Riya PatilInternal Medicine, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Belle Rive, MUS.
Kshitija GajadhurInternal Medicine, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Belle Rive, MUS.
Hutesh SinghInternal Medicine, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Belle Rive, MUS.
Milakshna Devi ChuckowryInternal Medicine, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Belle Rive, MUS.
Ashima Elsa PhilipInternal Medicine, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Belle Rive, MUS.
Indrajit BanerjeePharmacology, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Belle Rive, MUS.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR), a surging therapeutic tool especially in stroke rehabilitation, has emerged as a powerhouse for VR-based rehabilitation in stroke patients, which is not only restricted to motor dysfunction but also encompasses cognitive impairment. Given the central role of cognition in activities of daily living, identifying effective interventions to address post-stroke cognitive impairment is critical. Hence, this systematic review aims to evaluate the effects of VR on cognitive function in stroke patients. An extensive search was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Turning Research into Practice (TRIP), Google Scholar, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, with Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms "virtual reality", "cognitive function", and "stroke" for relevant articles. Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from January 2019 to August 2025 were reviewed. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2) was used for methodological appraisal. The review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to ensure transparency and compliance with standard guidelines. Out of 91,713 articles initially identified, 9 RCTs met the inclusion criteria and encompassed a total of 601 stroke patients, comprising 53% females. The primary outcome was global cognitive function assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which was statistically significant in 78% of the articles following VR-based interventions compared to conventional therapy. The secondary outcomes measured included: mental health by Mini-Mental State Examination (n=2), Beck Depression Inventory-II (n=1), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (n=1) or Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (n=1); disability and autonomy measured by Modified Barthel index (n=1) and Functional Independence Measure (n=2); and quality of life (QoL) assessed by Short form-12 Health Survey (n=1) and EuroQoL (n=1). Statistical improvement was observed in only two studies for mental health and in one for QoL. VR-based cognitive rehabilitation is associated with meaningful improvements in global cognitive function. The findings of this review support integration of VR as a complementary tool in the multidisciplinary rehabilitation of stroke survivors with cognitive impairments.

Indexed as

montreal cognitive assessment (moca)physical medicine and rehabilitationpost-stroke cognitive impairmentpost stroke recoveryvirtual reality (vr)

Identifiers

PMID41322908
PMCPMC12658911

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Registered trials

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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.