Rehabilitation approaches involving virtual reality (VR) may have beneficial effects on cognitive function and anxiety in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but more research is needed to better understand its effects, according to a recent meta-analysis of 10 clinical trials. Small gains in certain aspects of cognition, including immediate…

A research team at the Kessler Foundation has received a $39,994 grant from the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) to investigate whether combining aerobic cycling with virtual reality can improve cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). A key focus of the study will be to…

Rehabilitation therapy that utilizes virtual reality can help to improve balance and reduce the fear of falling for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new analysis shows. “Our findings provide support to the use of [virtual reality-based therapy] to recover balance in neurological diseases such as MS,” researchers wrote.

Uses of virtual reality-based physiotherapy to improve balance and gait in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are linked to lower dropout rates than those found with conventional rehabilitation methods, a review of clinical trials suggested. Although the difference between the two physiotherapy approaches was not statistically significant, adherence to…

XRHealth‘s virtual reality (VR) software, which provides an immersive three-dimensional environment where patients do repetitive tasks such as popping a balloon with a sword, is safe and feasible for upper limb training among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent pilot study. Participants generally felt engaged…

Virtual reality exergames — immersive video games whose play involves physical exercise — may be better than conventional exercise at easing certain symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), such as balance and upper limb function, a review of published studies suggested. However, differences among the evaluated studies — in matters…

Exergames — playing video games that involve physical exercise — may be more effective at improving balance in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than conventional rehabilitation, a review of current studies suggested. The study, “Efficacy of Virtual Reality and Exergaming in Improving Balance in Patients With…

XRHealth, a virtual reality clinic that provides treatments in patients’ homes, has integrated Tobii‘s eye-tracking technology into its platform, which will let clinicians treat patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions. “We are excited to partner with Tobii — the leader in eye tracking —…

Immersive virtual reality may make treadmill exercise more engaging and effective for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other conditions that can make walking difficult, according to new research. The findings were published in the Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, in the study “Immersive virtual reality…

This week, I went to Tokyo, saw elephants up close in Africa, flew over New York, and watched a stage show, all in one day. How was it possible? Virtual reality (VR), of course! Being unable to play badminton in lockdown has forced…

Review Study Examines Factors That Affect MS Patients’ Quality of Life What affects the qualify of your life as someone who lives with MS? Fatigue is at the top of my list, followed by difficulty walking. Now, COVID-19 plus gray, winter weather have added a bit of depression. So,…

Motor rehabilitation using virtual reality (VR) may improve hand and arm function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. Evidence of its beneficial effect is, however, still preliminary, as most analyzed studies included small patient groups and some failed to show statistically significant improvements in upper…

XRHealth has raised $7 million to expand its telehealth platform, with the goal of providing clinicians and patients with virtual and augmented reality therapy. The funding will also increase access to virtual support groups for people with multiple sclerosis and other diseases. Telehealth broadly refers to the…

A new test involving a virtual reality simulation was able to detect balance issues in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), potentially allowing doctors to identify whether a patient is at risk of falling despite having no apparent problems with walking, according to new research. The results of the study,…

The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's Tissue Bank at Imperial College London, the largest brain and tissue bank in Europe, will receive £1.5 million (about $1.82 million) from the U.K. MS Society. This fund will support the development of a digital brain bank powered by a virtual reality platform, which will provide new tools for researchers around the world with the ultimate goal of stopping multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases. These new technologies will be used to create high-definition pictures of brain tissue donated by people with MS after their death. “When the tissue bank first opened in 1998 there were practically no treatments for those affected. Things are very different now and it’s a privilege to work with an organization like the MS Society, which does everything it can to ensure the work of the scientific community reflects the needs of people living with MS," Richard Nicholas, PhD, scientific director of the tissue bank, said in a press release. “This investment will ensure all researchers have access to high quality brain and spinal cord tissue from people with MS, and marks an important development in the U.K. research landscape. We’re excited to see where it takes us,” Nicholas added. The new-era tissue bank will grant researchers access to tissue images that can be studied extensively and indefinitely, and also will offer the opportunity to explore the brain’s structures in a 3-D interactive section. Together with Parkinson's UK, these two leading neurological charities will contribute a total of £3 million (about $3.6 million) over a period of five years. "The MS Society Tissue Bank has been vital in improving our understanding of MS and finding treatments for some people with the condition. But our top priority now is finding treatments to slow or stop MS for everyone,” said Sorrel Bickley, PhD, head of biomedical research at MS Society. This new virtual database gives researchers the opportunity to develop innovative projects in which they can combine virtual tissue data with genetic analysis in an easy and more efficient way, and help define how genetic landscape can affect MS and Parkinson’s progression. “We can see a future where nobody needs to worry about MS getting worse, but for that to happen we urgently need to find treatments that repair myelin — the protective layer that surrounds our nerves, which is damaged in MS, and protect the nerves from damage. This funding will allow researchers to operate as effectively as possible, and ultimately help us stop MS faster,” Bickley said.

Virtual reality (VR) technology is most commonly associated with gaming and entertainment, but it’s expanding into a variety of clinical and healthcare applications. The Ontario-based biopharmaceutical firm EMD Serono, Canada, is now using VR as an informational and educational tool to provide a more profound understanding of what living with multiple sclerosis…

Scientists at Russia’s Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) and Siberian State Medical University (SSMU), both in Tomsk, have developed a diagnosis system for neurodegenerative diseases in the early stages. The system uses virtual reality (VR) technology to immerse a subject in a virtual environment during functional tests designed to detect early symptoms of…

Interventions to improve balance in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have produced varying results, but a small clinical trial showed that balance training using a virtual reality tool could help people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and might improve adherence to training. Virtual reality tools are a popular training approach, not least because compliance to…