Scientists use virtual reality technology to detect early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease – Xinhua

LONDON, May 24 (Xinhua) – Researchers have developed a virtual reality (VR) navigation test to identify early Alzheimer's disease more accurately than traditional methods, according to a study published Friday by the University of Cambridge.

Our brain contains a mental "satellite navigation" indicating where we are, where we have been and how to find ourselves. A key component of this internal navigation is a region of the brain called the entorhinal cortex.

It's one of the first regions affected by Alzheimer's disease, which may explain why "getting lost" is one of the first symptoms of the disease. However, paper-pen cognitive tests used clinically to diagnose the disease do not allow to test navigation difficulties.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and University College London have developed and tested a virtual reality navigation test in patients at risk of developing dementia.

The team recruited 45 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Patients with MCI usually have memory problems, but if the MCI can indicate early Alzheimer's disease, it can also be caused by other conditions such as anxiety and even the normal aging. For comparison, the team also recruited 41 healthy volunteers.

During the test, the researchers asked patients to don a virtual reality helmet and perform a navigation test while walking in a simulated environment. The success of the task requires an intact functioning of the entorhinal cortex. The team can therefore hypothesize that patients with early Alzheimer's disease would be disproportionately affected during the test.

All patients with MCI had worse results in navigation than healthy volunteers.

"These findings suggest that a navigation VR navigation test might be more effective at identifying an early Alzheimer's disease than tests that we currently use in clinical and research studies," he said. Dr. Dennis Chan, who led the team.

VR could also help clinical trials of future drugs aimed at slowing or even stopping the progression of Alzheimer's disease, according to the team.