#SundayResearchDive: Can VR Help Standardize Cognitive Assessments?

Could Virtual Reality (VR) complement traditional cognitive assessments by offering more objective, standardized measurements?

This week’s #SundayResearchDive explores a new study by Sorrentino et al. investigating VR as an objective assessment tool for cognitive functions, particularly distractor inhibition in stroke patients.

The Study: Using VR for Cognitive Testing

Researchers tested 30 participants (15 stroke survivors, 15 healthy controls) using a VR-based distractor inhibition task designed to measure visual attention and cognitive control.
They compared immersive VR (iVR) vs. non-immersive VR (niVR) to determine if full immersion impacts performance.
Key outcomes measured:

Reaction time (RT): Speed of responses.
Error rates: Accuracy in ignoring distractors.
Omissions: Missed responses indicating attentional lapses.

Key Findings: Can VR Enhance Clinical Assessments?

VR-based cognitive tests showed significant differences between stroke patients and healthy controls, with a potential for clinical use.
iVR led to slower reaction times than niVR, suggesting increased cognitive load due to immersion.
Error rates and omission rates were similar between iVR and niVR, meaning both VR formats provided consistent cognitive assessment results.

Not a New Concept: VR-Based Cognitive Tests Have Been in Development for Years

Early Work by Skip Rizzo
Rizzo and colleagues developed the Virtual Classroom—a VR-based tool designed to assess attention, working memory, and executive function in children with ADHD.
Their studies found that VR tests correlate well with traditional neuropsychological assessments, showing that immersive environments can provide clinically meaningful data.
This early work laid the foundation for using VR as an assessment tool across multiple conditions, including PTSD, TBI and neurodegenerative disorders.

Expanding VR-Based Cognitive Tests
The Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT) was developed to evaluate real-world cognitive function in schizophrenia through a simulated shopping trip.
Nesplora Aula, launched in 2011, became one of the first standardized VR neuropsychological tests, using an immersive classroom to measure attention and impulsivity in children.
These tools have shown that VR can complement clinical expertise by offering more ecological, interactive assessments compared to static tests like the Stroop or Trail Making Tests.

Why This Matters: VR as a Clinical Support Tool, Not a Replacement

Therapists bring essential expertise in cognitive evaluation and patient interaction—VR does not replace this. Instead, it could:
Standardize administration → Ensuring every patient gets the same test conditions.
Provide precise timing & tracking → Measuring reaction times to the millisecond for subtle cognitive impairments.
Support clinical decision-making → Adding quantitative, objective data that complements therapist observations.

Final Thoughts: A Step Toward More Objective, Data-Driven Cognitive Testing?

This study adds to the growing body of evidence that VR could be a valuable tool in cognitive assessments by providing standardized, objective data. However, without direct validation against traditional neuropsychological tests, VR remains an evolving tool rather than a replacement for clinical expertise.

Read the full study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40047653/