Virtual reality as a new tool for the rehabilitation of post-stroke patients with chronic aphasia: an exploratory study

Background In recent years, innovative interactive technologies, such as virtual reality, have emerged as a valuable approach in the rehabilitation of aphasia. Indeed, they offer the opportunity to practice activities that are not or cannot be usually carried out within the clinical environment, and that are aimed at increasing cognitive and motor domains. Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and the long-term effects of the BTS-Nirvana, a rehabilitative device that uses semi-immersive virtual reality in the treatment of chronic post-stroke aphasia. Methods and Procedures Thirty patients with non-fluent aphasia due to first ever ischemic stroke (mean +/- SD age: 51.2 +/- 11.3 years) were enrolled in this study and randomized into either a control group (n = 15) undergoing conventional speech and cognitive training or an experimental group (n = 15) receiving the same amount of training using BTS-Nirvana. Outcomes and Results The "Esame Neuropsicologico per l'Afasia" (ENPA) subtests (repetition, reading, naming, writing, and calculation) and the Token test were the main outcome measures. After the training (T1), the experimental group achieved a greater improvement in Token test, reading, naming, and calculation than the control group. Notably, these positive outcomes were maintained at the 6-month follow-up (T2). Conclusions These results support previous findings that virtual reality can be considered a useful complementary treatment to potentiate functional recovery of speech ability in patients affected by post-stroke aphasia.