Neuropsychological Assessment of Older Adults With Virtual Reality: Association of Age, Schooling, and General Cognitive Status

Frontiers in Psychology

Margarida M. B. M. P. Lima¹  Cristiane S. Esteves²  Brandel J. P. Lopes Filho²  Daniela S. Nunes³  Camila R. Oliveira³  Tainá Rossi³  Tatiana Q. Irigaray⁴  Irani I. L. Argimon⁴ 

[1] Faculty of Psychology, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal;Postgraduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil;Postgraduate Program in Psychology, Faculdade Meridional IMED, Passo Fundo, Brazil;Postgraduate Program in Psychology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil;

关键词: virtual reality;    cognition;    executive functions;    aging;    schooling;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01085

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The development of neuropsychological assessment methods using virtual reality (VR) is a valid and promising option for the detection of cognitive impairment in the older people, focusing on activities composed of tasks of multiple demands. This study verified the association of age, schooling, and general cognitive status on the performance of neurologically healthy older adults in ECO-VR, a VR task of multiple demands for neuropsychological assessment. A total of 111 older adults answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Mini Mental State Examination, the Vocabulary subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults (third edition), and the ECO-VR. Correlation analyses, multiple linear regression, and comparisons between groups (effects by age and schooling groups) were used to evaluate the results. The ECO-VR total score was significantly associated with age, years of education, MMSE, and Vocabulary subtest. The linear regression models identified that age was the main predictor for total score and rule breaking of ECO-VR. According to the univariate analysis, it was identified the main effect of age group and schooling group in the total ECO-VR score, but there was no interaction effect. The results are discussed in order to understand the role of sociodemographic characteristics in the performance of older adults in a VR task of multiple demands. It was also verified the possibility use of VR for neuropsychological assessment of older adults.

【 授权许可】

Unknown