Investigating the Effectiveness of Balance Exercises Based on Virtual Reality on the Cognitive Performance of Older Adults with Parkinson and Mild cognitive impairment

Objectives Parkinson disease is associated with a broad spectrum of cognitive, psychological, and behavioral impairments.This study assesses the effectiveness of balance exercises based on virtual reality on the cognitive performance of older adults with Parkinson disease and mild cognitive impairment.Methods & Materials This research employed a randomized clinical trial design with a pretest-posttest design.The statistical population under investigation comprised older adults seeking rehabilitation at a center in Tehran City, Iran, specifically subjects diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and mild cognitive impairment.From this population, 30 patients were selected through random sampling and subsequently assigned to two groups (control and experimental group) using a random assignment procedure.While both groups received conventional rehabilitation, the intervention group additionally underwent balance exercises utilizing a virtual reality system.The control group exclusively underwent standard rehabilitation procedures.The data were gathered through the utilization of the Hoehn and Yahr scale and the Parkinson disease cognitive rating scale.Meanwhile, subsequent data analysis involved the application of correlated t tests and independent t tests, executed using the SPSS software, version 26, considering a significance level of 0.05.Results There was a statistically significant improvement in cognitive performance among the older adults with Parkinson disease and mild cognitive impairment following balance exercises based on virtual reality (P<0.001).The cognitive enhancement was multifaceted, encompassing improvements in executive functions, attention, working memory, and verbal fluency.The Parkinson disease cognitive rating scale scores indicated significant improvements in sustained attention, working memory, and verbal memory.Conclusion Virtual reality technology proves effective in the rehabilitation of cognitive functions in older adults with Parkinson disease and mild cognitive impairment.