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PERSPECTIVE article

Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Perception Science
Volume 18 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1461142
This article is part of the Research Topic Current Research and Future Development of Neuropsychology View all 8 articles

Virtual environments as a novel and promising approach in (neuro)diagnosis and (neuro)therapy: a perspective on the example of autism spectrum disorder

Provisionally accepted
Ewa Sokołowska Ewa Sokołowska 1*Beata Sokołowska Beata Sokołowska 2*Stanisław J, Chrapusta Stanisław J, Chrapusta 2Dorota Sulejczak Dorota Sulejczak 2*
  • 1 The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Lublin Voivodeship, Poland
  • 2 Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

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

    Over the last three decades, dynamically evolving research using novel technologies, including virtual environments (VEs), has presented promising solutions for neuroscience and neuropsychology. This article explores the known and potential benefits and drawbacks of employing modern technologies for diagnosing and treating developmental disorders, exemplified by autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD's complex nature is ideal for illustrating the advantages and disadvantages of the digital world. While VEs' possibilities remain under-explored, they offer enhanced diagnostics and treatment options for ASD, augmenting traditional approaches. Unlike real-world obstacles primarily rooted in social challenges and overwhelming environments, these novel technologies provide unique compensatory opportunities for ASD-related deficits. From our perspective in addition to other recent work, digital technologies should be adapted to suit the specific needs of individuals with ASD.

    Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Neurodiagnosis, Neurotherapy, High ecological validity, Innovative technologies, virtual environments

    Received: 07 Jul 2024; Accepted: 31 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Sokołowska, Sokołowska, Chrapusta and Sulejczak. 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:
    Ewa Sokołowska, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, 20-950, Lublin Voivodeship, Poland
    Beata Sokołowska, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
    Dorota Sulejczak, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

    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.