the benefits of nostalgia-based virtual reality brain health interventions on nostalgia tendencies, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, depression levels, and cognitive function in older adults

Conditions: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI); Dementia; Cognitive Decline; Psychological Well-being; Aging and Cognitive Health; Virtual Reality Cognitive Training

Summary: this randomized controlled trial investigates the effects of a nostalgia-based cognitive training intervention delivered via virtual reality (vr) on emotional well-being and cognitive functioning among community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) in northern taiwan, specifically targeting those with mild cognitive impairment (mci) or mild dementia. the study, conducted at national taiwan normal university, aims to assess whether engaging older adults in nostalgic vr experiences can enhance nostalgia proneness, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being, while also reducing depressive symptoms and improving cognitive functions. participants who meet inclusion criteria (aged 65+, capable of communicating in mandarin or taiwanese, without severe psychiatric conditions, with sufficient vision/hearing) will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group receiving the "brain health nostalgic vr program" or a control group engaged in routine weekly activities. each weekly session spans 60-90 minutes in total, including setup, support, and breaks, while the actual vr usage time is 10-30 minutes depending on individual tolerance. research staff will provide close support and safety monitoring during all sessions. pre- and post-intervention outcomes will be measured using standardized assessments: southampton nostalgia scale (sns), short-form life satisfaction index (lsi-sf), geriatric depression scale (gds-15), short-form chinese version of ryff's psychological well-being scale (pwb-18), and the montreal cognitive assessment taiwan version (moca-t). the study emphasizes participant safety and data confidentiality throughout its duration. findings aim to demonstrate vr's potential as a non-invasive, preventive strategy for cognitive decline and mental health enhancement among older populations.

this randomized controlled trial (rct) aims to examine the effectiveness of a nostalgia-based virtual reality (vr) intervention on improving cognitive function, emotional well-being, nostalgia proneness, and mental health among older adults in northern taiwan. the study specifically targets community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and above, including individuals diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (mci) or mild dementia. participants are recruited from government-registered long-term care facilities in northern taiwan. inclusion criteria include being 65 years or older, capable of communicating in mandarin or taiwanese, able to operate and wear vr headsets and handheld controllers, and having sufficient visual and auditory capabilities (assistive devices permitted). exclusion criteria include severe psychiatric disorders, severe dementia, significant visual or hearing impairments that preclude vr interaction, impaired consciousness, or inability to comply with the study protocol. eligible participants will be randomly allocated into either the experimental group, which will receive the "brain health nostalgic vr program," or the control group, which will participate in routine weekly activities at their respective care facilities. the vr intervention sessions are designed around culturally relevant nostalgic themes, incorporating interactive cognitive training tasks targeting seven cognitive domains: attention, imagination and creativity, observational skills, memory, reasoning, reading comprehension, and thinking skills. each weekly session spans 60-90 minutes in total, including setup, support, and breaks, while the actual vr usage time is 10-30 minutes depending on individual tolerance. sessions occur weekly and span a period of 12 weeks. the intervention takes place in a secure and familiar environment within the participants' original long-term care facilities, with close monitoring and assistance by the research team. the "brain health nostalgic vr program" uniquely integrates nostalgia-based elements inspired by taiwanese culture. through culturally significant items such as photographs, familiar scenarios, historical films, and everyday objects from past decades, participants are immersed in a virtual environment that evokes positive emotional responses and nostalgia. this cultural immersion is purposefully combined with targeted cognitive training activities, developed through expert consensus and literature review, to enhance the seven critical cognitive domains mentioned above. assessment of outcomes is conducted at three time points: baseline (week 0), immediately post-intervention (week 12), and follow-up (week 24). standardized instruments used to measure outcomes include the southampton nostalgia scale (sns), short-form life satisfaction index (lsi-sf), geriatric depression scale (gds-15), short-form chinese version of ryff's psychological well-being scale (pwb-18), and the montreal cognitive assessment taiwan version (moca-t). the study integrates expectation confirmation theory (ect) to explore participants' immersive vr experiences, assessing perceived usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment, and intentions for continued vr use post-intervention. the anticipated outcomes of the study include demonstrating the potential of vr as an innovative, non-pharmacological intervention to delay cognitive decline and improve emotional health outcomes. the findings are expected to contribute significantly to the validation of vr technology in health promotion among older adults and enhance the acceptance and adoption of digital health interventions within this population.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * age 65 years or older, able to communicate in mandarin or taiwanese, capable of wearing and operating a vr headset and handheld controllers, sufficient vision and hearing to interact with vr content (assistive devices allowed), able to provide informed consent or have a legal guardian provide consent exclusion criteria: * diagnosis of severe dementia or advanced neurodegenerative disease, severe psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder), major visual or auditory impairments that would interfere with vr use, even with assistive devices, unconsciousness or inability to stay awake or focused for the session duration, inability to comply with study protocol or scheduled sessions

Keywords: older adults mild cognitive impairment dementia cognitive training nostalgia-based virtual reality