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MINI REVIEW article

Front. Behav. Neurosci.
Sec. Learning and Memory
Volume 18 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1441615
This article is part of the Research Topic Comorbidity, Severity and Neurobiological Correlates in Specific Learning Disorders: Prevention and Integrated Multimodal Intervention View all articles

Current virtual reality-based rehabilitation interventions in neuro-developmental disorders at developmental ages

Provisionally accepted
Micaela Capobianco Micaela Capobianco 1*Concetto Puzzo Concetto Puzzo 2Chiara Di Matteo Chiara Di Matteo 2Alberto Costa Alberto Costa 1Walter Adriani Walter Adriani 3
  • 1 University Niccolò Cusano, Rome, Italy
  • 2 Università Telematica Internazionale Uninettuno, Rome, Lazio, Italy
  • 3 National Institute of Health (ISS), Rome, Lazio, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This mini-review examines the available papers about virtual reality (VR) as a tool for the diagnosis or therapy of neurodevelopmental disorders, focusing on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD). Through a search on literature, we selected 62 studies published between 1998 and 2024. After exclusion criteria, our synoptic table includes 32 studies on ADHD (17 on diagnostic evaluation and 14 on therapeutic interventions), 2 on ASD, and 2 on SLD. These cover a total of 8,139 participants with ADHD (ages 3-19), 458 with ASD (ages 4-19), and 162 with SLD (ages 7-11). Results show that VR offers high ecological validity and enables improvements in cognitive and social skills. Specifically, in individuals with ADHD, VR showed benefits in attention and executive function, with optimal results when combined with pharmacological treatments. For ASD kids, VR proved effective in enhancing social skills and emotional regulation through personalized virtual scenarios. However, the literature on SLD remains limited, suggesting an evolving area of research. Despite limitations related to small sample sizes and technology costs, VR presents a promising outlook for clinical intervention in neuro-developmental disorders, supporting enhanced skills in a safe and controlled environment. We conclude that both immersive and non-immersive VR represents a valuable supplement to traditional therapies, allowing for personalized approaches.

    Keywords: ASD, SLD, VR, ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder), neuro-developmental disorders

    Received: 31 May 2024; Accepted: 17 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Capobianco, Puzzo, Matteo, Costa and Adriani. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Micaela Capobianco, University Niccolò Cusano, Rome, Italy

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.