Comparative Efficacy of Virtual Reality Technologies on Cognitive Function in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Strategic Insights -

Researchers have published a new report comparing the effectiveness of various virtual reality (VR) technologies for improving cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials involving 529 participants found that semi-immersive VR was the most effective in improving global cognition, followed by nonimmersive and immersive VR. All types of VR interventions significantly improved global cognition compared to attention-control groups.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study aimed to compare and rank the effectiveness of various VR technologies for cognitive function in older adults with MCI.
  • A systematic review with a network meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials involving 529 participants was conducted.
  • Semi-immersive VR was found to be the most effective in improving global cognition in older adults with MCI, followed by nonimmersive and immersive VR.
  • Surface under the cumulative ranking curve values ranked semi-immersive VR highest (87.8%), followed by nonimmersive VR (84.2%) and immersive VR (43.6%).
  • All types of VR interventions significantly improved global cognition compared with attention-control groups.
  • The study provides actionable guidance for clinicians managing older adults with MCI, facilitating optimized implementation of VR-based interventions through modality selection.
  • Additional large-scale and long-term randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these findings and guide clinical implementation.

Statistics:

  • 529 participants were included in the 12 randomized controlled trials.
  • Semi-immersive VR was found to be the most effective in improving global cognition in older adults with MCI (87.8% surface under the cumulative ranking curve value).
  • Nonimmersive VR was found to be the second most effective in improving global cognition in older adults with MCI (84.2% surface under the cumulative ranking curve value).
  • Immersive VR interventions were found to be significantly less effective in improving global cognition in older adults with MCI (43.6% surface under the cumulative ranking curve value).
  • All types of VR interventions significantly improved global cognition compared to attention-control groups.

Sources:

  • Comparative Efficacy of Various of Virtual Reality Technologies on Cognitive Function in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2025:105941.
  • NewsRx LLC (2025, November 3). Researchers from Beihua University Report on Findings in Engineering (Comparative Efficacy of Various of Virtual Reality Technologies on Cognitive Function in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Network ...). Clinical Trials Week, p 1604.