Virtual reality as a tool for assessing episodic memory

Abstract

The principal attraction of virtual reality is its potential to create experiments close to daily life with perfect experimental control. We performed an experiment in a virtual town in order to develop a better episodic memory assessment. We tested all components of episodic memory. Young and elderly adults participated in the virtual test: they were either in an active exploration or in a passive exploration of the town. The results showed that older persons recalled the spatiotemporal context and the details of the events in a lower proportion compared to younger ones regardless of the active or passive condition. But no difference was found between active and passive exploration in measures of episodic memory. Finally, correlations mainly appeared between memory complaint and virtual scores, but not with a classical verbal episodic memory test. The virtual test seems to allow a better assessment of episodic memory compared to classical studies, especially because of its components of spatiotemporal memory assessment. In conclusion, virtual reality appears to offer the possibility of developing neuropsychological tools closer to the daily life of patients.