Summary
A German study indicates that persons with a high genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease might be identified early by monitoring their performance in tests involving navigation through a virtual maze.
Reference
Virtual reality maze ‘predicts Alzheimer’s disease’. London: BBC Health News, October 23rd 2015.
This relates to:
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Reference
Kunz, L. Schröder, TN. [and] Lee, H. [et al] (2015). Reduced grid-cell-like representations in adults at genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Science. October 23rd 2015; 350(6259): 430-3.
June 2019 Update
A narrative literature review, concerning the Sea Hero Quest (SHQ) game:
Reference
Spatial navigation: a behavioural biomarker for improved dementia diagnosis? Journal of Geriatric Care and Research (JGCR). June 2019. Vol.6(1): 20-22.
Further confirmation using HTC Vive iVR equipment:
Reference
Howett, D. Castegnaro, A. [and] Krzywicka, K. [et al] (2019). Differentiation of mild cognitive impairment using an entorhinal cortex-based test of virtual reality navigation. Brain. June 1st 2019; 142(6): 1751-1766.