title: The contribution of virtual reality to the diagnosis of spatial navigation disorders and to the study of the role of navigational aids: A systematic literature review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spatial navigation, which involves higher cognitive functions, is frequently implemented in daily activities, and is critical to the participation of human beings in mainstream environments. Virtual reality is an expanding tool, which enables on one hand the assessment of the cognitive functions involved in spatial navigation, and on the other the rehabilitation of patients with spatial navigation difficulties. Topographical disorientation is a frequent deficit among patients suffering from neurological diseases. The use of virtual environments enables the information incorporated into the virtual environment to be manipulated empirically. But the impact of manipulations seems differ according to their nature (quantity, occurrence, and characteristics of the stimuli) and the target population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a systematic review of research on virtual spatial navigation covering the period from 2005 to 2015. We focused first on the contribution of virtual spatial navigation for patients with brain injury or schizophrenia, or in the context of ageing and dementia, and then on the impact of visual or auditory stimuli on virtual spatial navigation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the basis of 6521 abstracts identified in 2 databases (Pubmed and Scopus) with the keywords « navigation » and « virtual », 1103 abstracts were selected by adding the keywords "ageing", "dementia", "brain injury", "stroke", "schizophrenia", "aid", "help", "stimulus" and "cue"; Among these, 63 articles were included in the present qualitative analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unlike pencil-and-paper tests, virtual reality is useful to assess large-scale navigation strategies in patients with brain injury or schizophrenia, or in the context of ageing and dementia. Better knowledge about both the impact of the different aids and the cognitive processes involved is essential for the use of aids in neurorehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Service de médecine physique et de réadaptation, centre hospitalier universitaire, 33076 Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: melaniecogne@hotmail.fr.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cogné
authors.affiliation: EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taillade
authors.affiliation: EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Institut national de recherche en informatique et automatique (INRIA), 33405 Talence cedex, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: N'Kaoua
authors.affiliation: EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Institut de formation en ergothérapie, centre hospitalier universitaire, 33076 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarruella
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire interactions numériques santé handicap, ESIEA, 53000 Laval, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Klinger
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Bordelais de recherche en informatique (LaBRI), université de Bordeaux, 33045 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Larrue
authors.affiliation: EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Institut national de recherche en informatique et automatique (INRIA), 33405 Talence cedex, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sauzéon
authors.affiliation: EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Service de médecine physique et de réadaptation, centre hospitalier universitaire, 33076 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: P-A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Institut de formation en ergothérapie, centre hospitalier universitaire, 33076 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sorita
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology; D003463:Cues; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D013028:Space Perception; D065854:Spatial Navigation; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology; D000076142:Virtual Reality
keywords: Ageing; Aid; Brain-damaged patients; Spatial navigation; Stimuli; Virtual reality