Skip to main content

Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT-SL) in Parkinson's Disease.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Turner, TH; Atkins, A; Keefe, RSE
Published in: J Parkinsons Dis
2021

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is common in Parkinson's disease (PD) and highly associated with loss of independence, caregiver burden, and assisted living placement. The need for cognitive functional capacity tools validated for use in PD clinical and research applications has thus been emphasized in the literature. The Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT-SL) is a tablet-based instrument that assesses proficiency for performing real world tasks in a highly realistic environment. OBJECTIVE: The present study explored application of the VRFCAT-SL in clinical assessments of patients with PD. Specifically, we examined associations between VRFCAT-SL performance and measures of cognition, motor severity, and self-reported cognitive functioning. METHODS: The VRFCAT-SL was completed by a sample of 29 PD patients seen in clinic for a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Fifteen patients met Movement Disorders Society Task Force criteria for mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI); no patients were diagnosed with dementia. Non-parametric correlations between VRFCAT-SL performance and standardized neuropsychological tests and clinical measures were examined. RESULTS: VRFCAT-SL performance was moderately associated with global rank on neuropsychological testing and discriminated PD-MCI. Follow-up analyses found completion time was associated with visual memory, sustained attention, and set-switching, while errors were associated with psychomotor inhibition. No clinical or motor measures were associated with VRFCAT-SL performance. Self-report was not associated with VRFCAT-SL or neuropsychological test performance. CONCLUSION: The VRFCAT-SL appears to provide a useful measure of cognitive functional capacity that is not confounded by PD motor symptoms. Future studies will examine utility in PD dementia.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

J Parkinsons Dis

DOI

EISSN

1877-718X

Publication Date

2021

Volume

11

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1917 / 1925

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Virtual Reality
  • Parkinson Disease
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Humans
  • 3209 Neurosciences
  • 1109 Neurosciences
  • 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Turner, T. H., Atkins, A., & Keefe, R. S. E. (2021). Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT-SL) in Parkinson's Disease. J Parkinsons Dis, 11(4), 1917–1925. https://doi.org/10.3233/JPD-212688
Turner, Travis H., Alexandra Atkins, and Richard S. E. Keefe. “Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT-SL) in Parkinson's Disease.J Parkinsons Dis 11, no. 4 (2021): 1917–25. https://doi.org/10.3233/JPD-212688.
Turner TH, Atkins A, Keefe RSE. Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT-SL) in Parkinson's Disease. J Parkinsons Dis. 2021;11(4):1917–25.
Turner, Travis H., et al. “Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT-SL) in Parkinson's Disease.J Parkinsons Dis, vol. 11, no. 4, 2021, pp. 1917–25. Pubmed, doi:10.3233/JPD-212688.
Turner TH, Atkins A, Keefe RSE. Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT-SL) in Parkinson's Disease. J Parkinsons Dis. 2021;11(4):1917–1925.

Published In

J Parkinsons Dis

DOI

EISSN

1877-718X

Publication Date

2021

Volume

11

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1917 / 1925

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Virtual Reality
  • Parkinson Disease
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Humans
  • 3209 Neurosciences
  • 1109 Neurosciences
  • 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology