• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.730-737
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• 2014

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of virtual reality cognitive rehabilitation program on cognitive function, physical function and depression of long-term care insurance nongrading elderly dementia using Daytime protection service. For achieve this purpose, 30 dementia elderly were randomly assigned in to the experimental group(n=15)and control group(n=15). All subjects performed a general therapeutic exercise and 20- 30minutes takes virtual reality cognitive rehabilitation program were conducted with experimental group 2 times a week for 8 weeks. The intervention effects were measured by using cognitive function is mini-mental states examination-Korean version(MMSE-K), visual perception is MVPT(Motor-Free Visual Perception Test), Berg's balance scales(BBS), depression test GDS-K and lower limb strength. The results of study represented that the training group showed significant improvement in MMSEK( p<.05), visual perception(p<.05), balance(p<.05), lower limb strength(p<.05) and depression (p<.05). In conclusion, the virtual reality cognitive rehabilitation training using improves visual perception included cognitive function, physical function included balance, and lower limb strength and depression. These results suggest that virtual reality training using virtual reality cognitive rehabilitation program is feasible and suitable for mild dementia.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.109-124
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• 2024

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a virtual reality-based complex cognitive training program for depression, cognitive function, and digital divide reduction in the elderly who have not been diagnosed with dementia or MCI. Methods : We enrolled 16 participants who were over 65 years old and not been diagnosed with dementia or MCI. We randomly divided into three groups (A, B, C). Participants underwent an 8-week virtual reality-based complex cognitive training program (60 minutes each session, twice per week). At a baseline, all participants completed questionnaires on general features, depression and cognitive function. After four weeks, all participants completed questionnaires on depression and cognitive function. After the end of the last program, participants conducted questionnaires on depression, cognitive function, and usability evaluation. Results : At the 8-week follow-up, 16 participants completed the program. Compared to the baseline, the average score of cognitive function was increased (from 26.5 to 28.5), although it was not statistically significant (p<.061). There were no significant differences between baseline and post-training evaluations on depression scores. The average score of usability evaluation was 75.56, which corresponds to good. Conclusion : Even though the results showed no statistically significant findings in cognitive function and depression after the virtual reality-based complex cognitive training intervention, this pilot study proposed the possibility of utilizing the virtual reality program as a tool that provides active learning opportunities for the elderly and helps improve their cognitive function through multi-sensory components. Also, the findings of this study suggested a positive reevaluation of the elderly's digital access capabilities while reducing the digital divide. A virtual reality-based complex cognitive training program improved the social network of the elderly. We expect that it will expand in size and help with their social participation of the elderly.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.155-164
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation and virtual reality program application on cognition and depression of patients with mild cognitive impairment, and to find an intervention method that can enhance active participation of patients with mild cognitive impairment. Methods : In this study, 50 mild cognitive impairment patients were divided into a treatment group (25 patients) and a control group (25 patients). The treatment group was applied with a transcranial direct current stimulation and a virtual reality program, while the control group received a placebo transcranial direct current stimulation and a virtual reality program. Both groups received five 50-minute sessions per week (one session per day) for six weeks (total of 30 sessions). NCSE was used to evaluate the cognitive functions of the patients before and after treatment intervention. Moreover, K-BDI was conducted to examine the depression of the patients. Results : As a result of the transcranial direct current stimulation and a virtual reality program intervention, the cognitive function of both treatment and control group significantly (p<.05) improved, and the depression of both treatment and control group significantly (p<.05) decreased. Moreover, the changes in cognitive functions and depression were significant between the two groups¸ treatment and control group (p<.05). Conclusion : The results of the study showed that the application of the transcranial direct current stimulation and virtual reality program significantly improved the cognitive function of mild cognitive impairment patients and decreased the depression of them. Therefore, it could be concluded that the transcranial direct current stimulation and virtual reality program was an intervention method which positively affects the cognitive function and depression of mild cognitive impairment patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.355-363
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• 2016

Purpose: In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of a 12-week virtual reality exercise program using the Nintendo Wii console (Wii) in improving balance, emotion, and quality of life among patients with cognitive decline. Methods: The study included 30 patients with cognitive decline (12 female, 18 male) who were randomly assigned to an experimental (n=15) and control groups (n=15). All subjects performed a traditional cognitive rehabilitation program and the experimental group performed additional three 40-minute virtual reality based video game (Wii) sessions per week for 12 weeks. The berg balance scale (BBS) was used to assess balance abilities. The short form geriatric depression scale-Korean (GDS-K) and the Korean version of quality of life-Alzheimer's disease (KQOL-AD) scale were both used to assess life quality in patients. Statistical significance was tested within and between groups before and after treatment, using Wilcoxon signed rank and Mann-Whitney u-tests. Results: After 36 training sessions, there were significant beneficial effects of the virtual reality game exercise on balance (BBS), GDS-K, and KQOL-AD in the experimental group when compared to the control group. No significant difference was observed within the control group. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that a virtual reality-training program could improve the outcomes in terms of balance, depression, and quality of life in patients with cognitive decline. Long-term follow-ups and further studies of more efficient virtual reality training programs are needed.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2023

Purpose : This study evaluated the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation and a virtual reality program on the depression, hand functions, cognitive function, and activities of daily living of patients with mild cognitive impairment by dividing 20 patients with mild cognitive impairment and depression. The 20 patients were divided into a treatment group (transcranial direct current stimulation + a virtual reality program) and a control group (placebo transcranial direct current stimulation + a placebo virtual reality program). Methods : This study allocated ten subjects to the treatment group and ten subjects to the control group. The treatment was given five times per week for six weeks (30 sessions), and each session was 30 minutes. This study screened depression by using SGDS-K, a short geriatric depression scale, to examine depression before and after treatment intervention. This study also used the box and block test, NCSE, and FIM to evaluate hand functions, cognitive function, and activities of daily living, respectively. Results : The results showed that depression significantly decreased, hand functions significantly increased, cognitive function significantly improved, and activities of daily living significantly increased after intervention in the treatment and control groups. The magnitude of changes in depression, hand functions, cognitive function, and activities of daily living was significantly different between the two groups after intervention (p>.05). Conclusion : The results showed that the application of transcranial direct current stimulation and a virtual reality program could improve cognitive function, hand functions, and activities of daily living by decreasing depression. Therefore, it can be concluded that the simultaneous application of transcranial direct current stimulation and a virtual reality program is an intervention method, which can be applied for decreasing depression, enhancing hand functions, improving cognitive function, and increasing activities of daily living in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.49-56
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• 2013

Purpose : This study aimed to understand the influence of the virtual reality program combined with cognitive activity on elderly people's balance ability. Method : We randomly divided 14 elderly people receiving daytime protection service from D daytime protection center for senior citizens located in Busan-si into a group(seven) with cognitive activity combined with virtual reality program, and the other group(seven) with only virtual reality program. In order to compare the balance ability before/after the therapeutic intervention, the Berg Balance Scale was carried out. The Mini-Mental State Examination-Korea(MMSE-K) was also conducted to compare their cognitive functions. Result : Both groups showed statistically significant differences in balance ability before/after the therapeutic intervention(p<.05) while there were no statistically significant differences in balance ability after the therapeutic intervention(p>.05). The cognitive functions before/after the therapeutic intervention were not statistically significantly different in both groups(p>.05). Conclusion : The findings showed that the application of virtual reality program combined with cognitive activity could improve elderly people's balance ability. It is considered that the application of virtual reality program can have positive influence on the improvement of elderly people's balance ability, as an intervention method for improving balance ability in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.103-114
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study compared the effects of computer-based and virtual reality-based cognitive rehabilitation programs on the cognitive function, upper limb function, activities of daily living, and their impact on the prefrontal cortex in convalescent stroke patients. METHODS: Ten recovering stroke patients were assessed for their cognitive function, upper limb function, and daily living activities using the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination, the Korean version of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, and the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index. The prefrontal cortex activity was measured with functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy. The virtual reality-based cognitive rehabilitation group utilized a program of daily living activities delivered via a laptop and Oculus Rift. The computer-based cognitive rehabilitation group performed various cognitive tasks on an all-in-one PC. Both groups underwent cognitive rehabilitation training for 30 minutes per day, three times a week, for six weeks, with identical conventional rehabilitation therapies in the hospital. RESULTS: Both programs positively impacted the cognitive and physical functions. On the other hand, the virtual reality-based cognitive rehabilitation program had a larger influence on improving the cognitive and physical functions of convalescing stroke patients. CONCLUSION: The virtual reality program suggests its potential to enhance cognitive and physical functions in convalescent stroke patients through increased engagement, focus, real-time feedback, and game elements, making it a promising rehabilitation approach.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.1249-1257
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• 2017

Due to the 4th industrial revolution and an aged society, many studies are being conducted to apply virtual reality to medical field. Research on dementia is especially active. This paper proposes virtual reality based on cognitive rehabilitation contents using image recognition and clustering method to improve cognitive and physical disabilities caused by dementia. Unlike the existing cognitive rehabilitation system, this paper uses travel photos that reflect the memories of the subjects to be treated. In order to generate automated cognitive rehabilitation contents, we extract face information, food pictures, place information, and time information from photographs, and normalization is performed for clustering. And we present scenarios that can be used as cognitive rehabilitation contents using travel photos in virtual reality space.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.15-31
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• 2001

The main purpose of this study was to explore the development of knowledge about the appearance-reality distinction and the perspective-taking ability and to examine its relation. The subjects were 104 children, 13 boys and 13 girls each at the age of 3, 4, 5, and 6. The performance of four age groups were compared on illusion appearance-reality, color appearance-reality, perceptual perspective-taking, and cognitive perspective-taking tasks. The data were collected by individual testing and analyzed by the two-way ANOVA with repeated measures, one-way ANOVA and Pearson Correlation Coefficients. The major results were as follows. 1. In children's understanding of the appearance-reality distinction, significant differences were found between 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds, and 5-year-olds and 6-year-olds. While between 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds showed no such differences. Besides, gender did not affect the children's understanding of the appearance-reality distinction. 2. There was significant difference in performance according to the type of tasks. That is 3-year-olds perform better illusion appearance-reality distintion than color appearance- reality distintion, while 4, 5, 6 year old children's performance of color appearance-reality and illusion appearance-reality distinction showed no difference. 3. In children's ability of perceptual perspective-taking, significant difference was found between 3, 4, 5-year-olds and 6-year-old children. And in ability of cognitive and perspective-taking, significant difference was found between 3, 4-year-olds and 6-year-old children. Besides, gender did not affect the children's perceptual and cognitive perspective-taking. 4. The color appearance-reality distinction and perceptual perspective-taking showed significant correlation. That is, the children of high grade for perceptual perspective-taking were better understanding of color appearance-reality distinction.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.8
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• pp.203-212
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive rehabilitation programs using Virtual Reality(VR) content on the daily living abilities such as cognitive abilities, depression, and upper extremity functions of the elderly. The study group analyzed the effectiveness by separating the experimental group, which is the virtual reality cognitive rehabilitation application group, and the control group, the universal cognitive stimulation program application group. As a result of the study, the MMSE-K score improved by 13.0% in the experimental group and 2.3% in the control group. The improvement in each area of the experimental group was found to be 3.1% MBI, 7.1% MFT(Rt.), 3.5% MFT(Lt.), and 25.4% K-GDS. As a result of comparing the pre-post score change between each group, there was a significant difference between groups in daily living ability (p<.001) and MFT(Rt.)(p<.01). In addition, as a result of comparing the changes in absolute alpha waves to confirm the degree of depression through brain waves, there was no statistically significant difference. However, in the experimental group, it was confirmed that the average value increased to a positive value. This study is an experiment to verify the effectiveness of the cognitive rehabilitation program using virtual reality contents, and suggests a new intervention method to maintain and improve the daily life ability, cognitive function, depression and upper extremity function of the elderly.