Effects of Virtual Reality (VR) for Cognitive Rehabilitation in Stroke Survivors

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability, significantly impacting cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and executive functioning in survivors. Traditional cognitive rehabilitation methods have limitations, necessitating innovative approaches like virtual reality (VR) to enhance recovery.Objective: To determine the effects of VR-based cognitive rehabilitation in stroke survivors compared to traditional methods.Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Mian Medical Complex from October 2023 to August 2024, involving 24 stroke survivors aged 40-80 years with cognitive impairments. Participants were randomly assigned to either the VR group, receiving 30-minute sessions three times weekly for 12 weeks, or the control group, receiving traditional cognitive rehabilitation. Cognitive functions were assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Trail Making Test (TMT), and Digit Span Test. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.Results: The VR group showed significant improvements in MoCA scores (22.3 ± 3.5 to 25.0 ± 2.8, p < 0.01), TMT Part A (50.2 ± 10.3 to 45.6 ± 9.2 seconds, p < 0.05), and Digit Span Test (6.4 ± 1.2 to 7.2 ± 1.0, p < 0.01), whereas the control group showed minimal changes.Conclusion: VR-based cognitive rehabilitation significantly improves cognitive functions in stroke survivors and offers a more engaging alternative to traditional methods.