title: [Memory assessment by means of virtual reality: its present and future].
abstract: The human memory is a complex cognitive system whose close relationship with executive functions implies that, in many occasions, a mnemonic deficit comprises difficulties to operate with correctly stored contents. Traditional memory tests, more focused in the information storage than in its processing, may be poorly sensitive both to subjects' daily life functioning and to changes originated by rehabilitation programs. In memory assessment, there is plenty evidence with regards to the need of improving it by means of tests which offer a higher ecological validity, with information that may be presented in various sensorial modalities and produced in a simultaneous way. Virtual reality reproduces three-dimensional environments with which the patient interacts in a dynamic way, with a sense of immersion in the environment similar to the presence and exposure to a real environment, and in which presentation of such stimuli, distractors and other variables may be systematically controlled. The current review aims to go deeply into the trajectory of neuropsychological assessment of memory based in virtual reality environments, making a tour through existing tests designed for assessing learning, prospective, episodic and spatial memory, as well as the most recent attempts to perform a comprehensive evaluation of all memory components.
authors.affiliation: Nesplora, Technology and Behavior, Donostia-San Sebastian, Espana.
authors.forename: Unai
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Diaz-Orueta
authors.affiliation: Nesplora, Technology , Donostia-San Sebastian, Espana.
authors.forename: Gema
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Climent
authors.affiliation: Universidad del Pais Vasco, Donostia-San Sebastian, Espana.
authors.forename: Jaione
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cardas-Ibanez
authors.affiliation: AyG Asistencial, Vitoria - Gasteiz, Espana.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.affiliation: AyG Asistencial, Vitoria - Gasteiz, Espana.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olmo-Osa
authors.affiliation: Servicio Navarro de Salud. Fundacion Argibide., Elcano, Espana.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tirapu-Ustarroz
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation / Q000639:trends; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008568:Memory; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests