Immersive Virtual Reality Cognitive Training for Improving Cognition and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults. Current Evidence and Future Recommendations. A Systematic Review

Older adults, particularly impacted by the pandemic, are anticipated to face considerable challenges to their cognitive and psychological health. Various cognitive training methods have been proposed to improve their cognitive decline through regular practice. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) offers a promising avenue to bolster cognitive and mental health care accessibility for older adults and has shown potential in augmenting traditional cognitive training methods. This systematic review aims to assess the efficacy of IVR-based cognitive training on improving cognitive impairments and depressive symptoms among older adults, irrespective of their level of cognitive decline. Systematic searches were conducted across MEDLINE-PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from inception to December 2022. Only peer-reviewed articles reporting results from randomized controlled trials and pilot studies, focusing on the effects of VR-based cognitive training on adults aged 55 or older, were deemed eligible. Using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, the risk of bias was appraised for each selected study. Out of 3,835 studies identified, 9 met the inclusion criteria. The qualitative analyses concluded that IVR cognitive training interventions enhanced certain cognitive functions and well-being among older adults, notably those with mild cognitive impairments. These interventions were particularly effective in boosting memory, visuospatial abilities, and measures related to depressive symptoms and overall well-being. However, enhancements were less pronounced for executive functions, attention, and global cognition. Based on these findings, we propose a set of tailored, inclusive, and evidence-based recommendations to adapt emerging technologies to better accommodate the needs of older adults.