title: Retraining movement in patients with acquired brain injury using a virtual environment.
abstract: We report preliminary results of an ongoing study in which a virtual environment (VE) system is used to facilitate motor relearning of a pouring task in patients with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). Four subjects were evaluated pre- and post-VE training using virtual-world and real-world tests in which subjects performed a pouring motion while holding a cup. Standard clinical tests of motor and functional ability were also used. Three of four subjects demonstrated improvement in end-point trajectories (cup path) performed during the virtual and real world tests. Clinical test scores also improved. Results indicate that subjects with ABI were able to learn a movement in VE, and generalize this ability to real-world performance of similar and unrelated tasks. VE training appears to be a feasible and promising approach to the rehabilitation of subjects with ABI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Bldg. E-25-526b, 45 Carleton Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dettwiler
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dyar
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Niemann
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bizzi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012931:Social Environment; D014584:User-Computer Interface