Neural plasticity –
the basis of learning
The foundation of life-long learning
Cognitive rehabilitation is based on the principles of neural plasticity, describing the malleability of our nervous system. Neural plasticity describes the nervous system’s ability to change.
All learning processes in healthy and sick people are based on this principle. Through various internal and external stimuli, new connections can be created in the brain and strengthened by repetition or weakened by disuse. As a result of this process, entire areas of the brain can change and adapt to the respective demands.
The brain is, in a way, a bit like a plant that can grow, regenerate, and change.
Neuronal plasticity in rehabilitation
The impact of neural plasticity in rehabilitation is crucial for regaining essential skills. If our nervous system is stimulated or overstrained, it adapts to the increased demand. Following an injury to the human cerebral cortex, there are critical time windows during which the nervous system is particularly malleable.
These phases and the training that takes place during them are essential to the success of rehabilitation.
At living brain we take advantage of these biological principles. We stimulate brain areas in a way that is designed to stimulate brain plasticity and bring back lost abilities.
OUR USER-EXPERIENCE STUDY
As a medical device manufacturer the scientific base as well as the functionality of our products are especially important to us. That is why, as a medical device manufacturer, we conduct our own studies.
In our first study, we examined how stroke patients respond to our product.
Read the full publication here:
OUR CLINICAL STUDY
To evaluate the effectiveness of teora mind we conducted a controlled-randomized clinical study. The study compared the innovative therapy with teora mind to the standard theory of computer-assisted trainings. The group training with VR showed significantly better results, especially concerning improvements of the executive functions.
Read the entire publication here:
Sources
He D, Cao S, Le Y, Wang M, Chen Y, Qian B. (2022). Virtual Reality Technology in Cognitive Rehabilitation Application: Bibliometric Analysis. JMIR Serious Games 2022;10(4):e38315. DOI: 10.2196/38315.
This bibliometric analysis of existing literature examined how research on cognitive training with immersive virtual reality in a medical context has evolved in recent years and concludes that the number of published papers has grown rapidly and effective treatment outcomes can be achieved with VR. Link to the study
Jahn FS, Skovbye M, Obenhausen K, Jespersen AE, Miskowiak KW. (2021). Cognitive training with fully immersive virtual reality in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Psychiatry Res. 2021 Jun;300:113928. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113928. Epub 2021 Apr 6. PMID: 33857847.
A systematic review of clinical trials that focused on cognitive training in immersive virtual reality in patients with neurological and/or psychiatric disorders concluded that immersive VR has great potential in rehabilitation and treatment. Link to the study
Kang J, Kim N, Lee S, Woo S, Park G, Yeon B, Park J, Youn J, Ryu S, Lee J, Cho S. (2021). Effect of Cognitive Training in Fully Immersive Virtual Reality on Visuospatial Function and Frontal-Occipital Functional Connectivity in Predementia: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res 2021;23(5):e24526. DOI: 10.2196/24526.
This study investigated whether immersive virtual reality has an effect on the cognitive functions of predementia patients. The results show that visual-spatial abilities improved in the VR group compared to the control group. On fMRI, this was supported by increased connectivity in the associated brain areas. In addition, VR had a positive effect on apathy, affect, and quality of life. Link to the study
Ansado et al. (2020). How brain imaging provides predictive biomarkers for therapeutic success in the context of virtual reality cognitive training.
Cognitive training in VR produces detectable changes in the brain, which are also detectable with specific biomarkers and may have predictive value. Link to the study
Lee, C.-H., Kim, Y.-S., Jung, J.-H. (2020). Effectiveness of Virtual Reality based Cognitive Rehabilitation on Cognitive Function, Motivation and Depression in Stroke Patients.
Cognitive rehabilitation in patients after subacute stroke using virtual reality has more positive effects on cognitive function and motivation than conventional cognitive treatment approaches. Link to the study
Liao et al. (2020). Using virtual reailty-based training to improve cognitive function, instrumental activities of daily living and neural efficiency in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
Immersive VR combined with physical activity has a positive effect on various cognitive abilities in older people with Mild Cognitive Impairment. The positive effects of VR and physical activity were significantly better than those of computer training. Link to the study
Pedro Gamito, Jorge Oliveira, Catarina Alves, Nuno Santos, Cátia Coelho, and Rodrigo Brito (2020). Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Stimulation to Improve Cognitive Functioning in Community Elderly: A Controlled Study.Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. Mar 2020.150-156.
Immersive virtual reality, which is ecologically valid training environments, achieves improvement in cognitive functions in the elderly and also has a positive effect on psychiatric parameters. http://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2019.0271
Thapa et al. (2020). The Effect of a Virtual Reality-Based Intervention Program on Cognition in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impariment - A Randomized Control Trial.
The results of the study show that VR-based cognitive training has positive effects on cognition in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment, in particular, improvements in executive functions and some physical abilities were demonstrated. Likewise, brain activity (detected by EEG) showed positive changes regarding attention during VR training. Link to the study
Grewe et al. (2013). Learning real-life cognitive abilities in a novel 360°-virtual reality supermarket- a neuropsychological study of healthy participants and patients with epilepsy.
A 360° VR environment of a virtual supermarket produced learning effects (visuospatial, strategic, verbal) in epilepsy patients. VR is suitable for epilepsy patients and healthy individuals to train everyday activities. Link to the study
Nudo, R.J. (2013). Recovery after brain injury-mechanisms and principles.
Targeted and intensive rehabilitation after a nervous system injury is important and effective to benefit from biological principles in the rehabilitation process. Link to the study
