Investigating the Potential of Virtual Reality for Assessing and Treating Daily Life Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry

PhD defence by Andreas Elleby.

Main supervisor: Kamilla Woznica Miskowiak

Co-supervisor: Guido Makransky

Abstract

Persistent cognitive impairments are common in mood disorders (MD) and psychosis spectrum disorders (PD), negatively affecting daily functioning and quality of life. Yet, accurately assessing and effectively treating these impairments remain major challenges. Fully immersive virtual reality (VR) may help address these challenges by providing naturalistic and controlled assessment and training environments that align with real-world cognitive demands. This thesis comprises four studies investigating the potential of VR in assessing and treating cognitive impairment in MD and PD. The overarching aims are: (I) examining the validity and sensitivity of a VR-based assessment tool targeting daily life cognitive skills, and (II) assessing the efficacy of a novel VR-based cognitive remediation therapy in a randomised, controlled double-blind trial. The findings highlight VR-based assessment as a promising method for increasing insight into patients’ cognitive skills for tackling real-world cognitively demanding tasks. Further, the positive results from the completed trial underscore the potential of VR-based cognitive remediation therapy in addressing cognitive and functional impairments in individuals with MD or PD.