title: Assessing the mental frame syncing in the elderly: a virtual reality protocol.
abstract: Decline in spatial memory in the elderly is often underestimated, and it is crucial to fully investigate the cognitive underpinnings of early spatial impairment. A virtual reality-based procedure was developed to assess deficit in the "mental frame syncing", namely the cognitive ability that allows an effective orientation by synchronizing the allocentric view-point independent representation with the allocentric view-point dependent representation. A pilot study was carried out to evaluate abilities in the mental frame syncing in a sample of 16 elderly participants. Preliminary results indicated that the general cognitive functioning was associated with the ability in the synchronization between these two allocentric references frames.
authors.affiliation: Applied Technology for Neuro.Psychology Lab, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serino
authors.affiliation: Applied Technology for Neuro.Psychology Lab, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cipresso
authors.affiliation: Applied Technology for Neuro.Psychology Lab, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gaggioli
authors.affiliation: Applied Technology for Neuro.Psychology Lab, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riva
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000076142:Virtual Reality