TY - JOUR
T1 - Neurocognitive driving rehabilitation in virtual environments (NeuroDRIVE)
T2 - A pilot clinical trial for chronic traumatic brain injury
AU - Ettenhofer, Mark L.
AU - Guise, Brian
AU - Brandler, Brian
AU - Bittner, Katie
AU - Gimbel, Sarah I.
AU - Cordero, Evelyn
AU - Nelson Schmitt, Shawn
AU - Williams, Kathy
AU - Cox, Daniel
AU - Roy, Michael J.
AU - Chan, Leighton
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019-IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) technology may provide an effective means to integrate cognitive and functional approaches to TBI rehabilitation. However, little is known about the effectiveness of VR rehabilitation for TBI-related cognitive deficits. In response to these clinical and research gaps, we developed Neurocognitive Driving Rehabilitation in Virtual Environments (NeuroDRIVE), an intervention designed to improve cognitive performance, driving safety, and neurobehavioral symptoms. OBJECTIVE: This pilot clinical trial was conducted to examine feasibility and preliminary efficacy of NeuroDRIVE for rehabilitation of chronic TBI. METHODS: Eleven participants who received the intervention were compared to six wait-listed participants on driving abilities, cognitive performance, and neurobehavioral symptoms. RESULTS: The NeuroDRIVE intervention was associated with significant improvements in working memory and visual search/selective attention-Two cognitive skills that represented a primary focus of the intervention. By comparison, no significant changes were observed in untrained cognitive areas, neurobehavioral symptoms, or driving skills. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that immersive virtual environments can provide a valuable and engaging means to achieve some cognitive rehabilitation goals, particularly when these goals are closely matched to the VR training exercises. However, additional research is needed to augment our understanding of rehabilitation for driving skills, cognitive performance, and neurobehavioral symptoms in chronic TBI.
AB - BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) technology may provide an effective means to integrate cognitive and functional approaches to TBI rehabilitation. However, little is known about the effectiveness of VR rehabilitation for TBI-related cognitive deficits. In response to these clinical and research gaps, we developed Neurocognitive Driving Rehabilitation in Virtual Environments (NeuroDRIVE), an intervention designed to improve cognitive performance, driving safety, and neurobehavioral symptoms. OBJECTIVE: This pilot clinical trial was conducted to examine feasibility and preliminary efficacy of NeuroDRIVE for rehabilitation of chronic TBI. METHODS: Eleven participants who received the intervention were compared to six wait-listed participants on driving abilities, cognitive performance, and neurobehavioral symptoms. RESULTS: The NeuroDRIVE intervention was associated with significant improvements in working memory and visual search/selective attention-Two cognitive skills that represented a primary focus of the intervention. By comparison, no significant changes were observed in untrained cognitive areas, neurobehavioral symptoms, or driving skills. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that immersive virtual environments can provide a valuable and engaging means to achieve some cognitive rehabilitation goals, particularly when these goals are closely matched to the VR training exercises. However, additional research is needed to augment our understanding of rehabilitation for driving skills, cognitive performance, and neurobehavioral symptoms in chronic TBI.
KW - Traumatic brain injury
KW - cognition
KW - driving ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02411227
KW - rehabilitation
KW - virtual reality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85069932817&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3233/NRE-192718
DO - 10.3233/NRE-192718
M3 - Article
C2 - 31256093
AN - SCOPUS:85069932817
SN - 1053-8135
VL - 44
SP - 531
EP - 544
JO - NeuroRehabilitation
JF - NeuroRehabilitation
IS - 4
ER -