Virtual Reality in Korsakoff’s Syndrome

Abstract

Purpose - Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS) is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder following thiamine deficiency often resulting from chronic alcohol consumption. KS is characterized by cognitive problems, such as impaired memory, decreased organization and planning skills, and confabulations. Patients diagnosed with KS often require long-term care, because of the severity of their cognitive problems and psychiatric problems. Case description - In this project, virtual reality techniques were administered to a Korsakoff’s syndrome population in a long-term (residential) treatment setting. Following an overview of the technique, three vignettes that illustrate how virtual reality techniques can ameliorate the mood, felt sense of control and activity levels of KS patients. Outcomes - Actively engaging in virtual reality settings encouraged KS patients to decrease their apathy, matched their individual needs, and increased laughing behavior. Conclusions – Virtual reality techniques can actively engage patients diagnosed with KS in activities that are normally not initiated because of apathy. More systematic research on virtual reality techniques in KS should be conducted to test for possible benefits on quality of life, autonomy and reduction in neuropsychiatric symptoms