Effect of Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive-Motor Training for Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Jed Montayre, Fen Liu, Khloe Hau Yi Law et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed virtual reality (VR)-based cognitive-motor training in community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment. It included 15 studies with 706 participants: 362 received VR training and 344 received control interventions. Compared with controls, VR training was associated with significant improvement in global cognition measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. No significant improvement was found on the Mini-Mental State Examination or in instrumental activities of daily living, depressive symptoms, or walking performance. Substantial heterogeneity across studies means the cognitive findings warrant cautious interpretation.
Key findings
- Across 15 studies involving 706 participants, VR-based cognitive-motor training was associated with significant improvement in Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores versus control interventions.
- No significant improvement was observed in Mini-Mental State Examination scores, instrumental activities of daily living, depressive symptoms, or walking performance.
- Executive function measured by Trail Making Test Part B showed borderline improvement; substantial heterogeneity was reported across studies.
Why it matters
The findings suggest a possible cognitive benefit from VR-based cognitive-motor training for community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment, while offering no clear evidence of improvement in measured functional outcomes. Distinguishing these outcomes matters when considering the intervention’s potential role: cognitive test changes do not establish broader gains in daily function, and heterogeneity limits confidence in the pooled evidence.
What to keep in mind
Substantial heterogeneity across studies limits confidence in the findings. The abstract does not report effect sizes or further details about study quality.