Virtual Reality Multisensory Cooperative Task-Oriented Mirror Therapy for Stroke Rehabilitation
摘要
Each year, millions suffer from hemiplegia due to strokes, and while conventional mirror therapy (MT) and its virtual reality (VR) adaptations are common in rehabilitation, they often lack the ability to simulate real-life bimanual cooperative tasks, which are crucial for daily activities. Virtual Reality Multisensory Cooperative Task-Oriented Mirror Therapy (VRMCTOMT) is introduced in the study to test a novel approach that enables the coordinated use of both the affected and unaffected hands in immersive, functional tasks. By combining hand tracking and VR technology, VRMCTOMT overcomes limitations of conventional MT by providing synchronized multisensory feedback (visual, auditory, and tactile) to enhance brain plasticity. Preliminary evaluations using EEG with 15 healthy subjects demonstrated that VRMCTOMT significantly increased bilateral brain activation and Mu wave synchrony compared to standard VR Mirror Therapy (VRMT), suggesting potential benefits for motor function recovery. Future research will expand task scenarios and include broader clinical trials to further validate its effectiveness.