Virtual reality for improving cognitive well-being

It is estimated that approximately half of thehospitalized patient They may suffer cognitive, psychological and physical consequences after being discharged from the ICU. This phenomenon is called post intensive care syndrome and include a range of physical, cognitive or emotional difficulties resulting from living in these units that may persist for five years After the onset of symptoms.

Isolation from the family environment, psychological effects related to admission, as well as certain medical procedures, among other factors, can increase emotions. loneliness, frustration and fear, which is having a negative impact on the mental health of these people. These problems affect not only the patient, but also themselves familiar surroundings, All this leads to both emotional demands and high social, medical and economic costs.

an innovative technological device

One of the risks that this condition presents is chronologyAnd despite numerous interventions to reduce the problem, strategies focused on prevention, today they are rare. From this shortcoming has emerged the project of the Pars Toli Research and Innovation Institute (I3PT), which has designed an innovative eHealth Neuropsychological Therapy Based on non-immersive virtual reality technologies specifically developed to suit the needs of the critically ill patient and ICU environment.

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of this technological device in critically ill patients, to improve the quality of life of patients during their stay in the intensive care unit and to reduce the incidence of cognitive and psychological problems after discharge. Clinical studies will be conducted. But gamificationWhich will be used to supplement standard medical treatment during your stay in the ICU.

“We will evaluate the impact of this intervention on the patient’s medical condition to confirm that the intervention is safe”

To do this, the well-being, cognitive performance and emotional state of patients who received early cognitive stimulation and psychological support will be compared with another group of patients who will have received only standard medical treatment.

“The hypothesis is that patients who receive complementary e-health neuropsychological therapy will have better outcomes than patients who receive only standard medical treatment. Likewise, we will evaluate the impact of this intervention on the patient’s medical condition to confirm that the intervention is safe,” he explained. guillermo navarraThe principal investigator of the project and assistant professor at the Department of Medicine of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), is associated with the research group on highly prevalent mental disorders.

This project is co-led by the I3PT Translational Research Group on critically ill patients in which they participate josephina lopez (group leader), Sol Fernandez, marta godoy Andmercedes joderand which also includes the Network Biomedical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases and Mental Health of the Carlos III Health Institute.