Neurológia pre prax 4/2024

Current practice and future use of virtual reality in neuroscience and neurology

Virtual reality and its applications for medical purposes have been studied since the 1990s, especially in the field of neuroscience and neurosurgery. However, significant technological advances in recent years have made this technology more powerful and, most importantly, more accessible, and its use in medical research and practice is growing rapidly as awareness of its potential increases. In addition to pre-operative use, simulation, training and tele-proctoring in neurosurgery, virtual reality is increasingly being applied in neurorehabilitation and neuropsychiatry, particularly in the context of innovative therapeutic approaches. Although the potential of this ever-improving technology is considered revolutionary in many fields of medicine, most of the studies conducted have worked with small samples. Thus, many of the promising results need to be confirmed by more extensive research.

Keywords: virtuál reality, neuroscience, neurosurgery, neurology