Effect of virtual reality on sleep quality, sleep structure and neuropsychological characteristics of patients with chronic insomnia / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the effect of virtual reality (VR) on sleep quality, sleep structure and neuropsychological characteristics of patients with chronic insomnia.Methods:Fifty one patients with chronic insomnia enrolled from Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from October 2021 to April 2022 were chosen; according to their wills, they were divided into VR combined drug treatment group ( n=26) and drug treatment group ( n=25). Patients in drug treatment group accepted non-benzodiazepine combined with melatonin receptor agonist and serotonin reuptake inhibitor; in patients of VR combined drug treatment group, VR was added 30 min/d for 5 d/week on basis of above drug therapy. Subjective sleep quality was assessed by Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Insomnia Severity Scale (ISI). Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) were used to assess anxiety and depression. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), Digital Span Test (DST), Trail Making Test (TMT), Stroop Color Word Test A/B/C, Judgment of Line Orientation Test (JLO), and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) were used to assess the overall and individual cognitive functions. Portable sleep monitor (PSM)-100A based on cardiopulmonary coupling technology was used to evaluate the sleep structure. Differences of subjective sleep quality, sleep structure, and neuropsychological characteristics were compared between the 2 groups before and after treatment and in VR combined drug treatment group before and after treatment. Results:(1) After 6 weeks of treatment, compared with the drug treatment group, the VR combined with drug treatment group had significantly decreased scores of PSQI, ISI, HAMD and HAMA, increased total scores of AVLT immediate memory, scores of AVLT short delay recall, long delay recall and recognition, higher SDMT scores, increased correct times of DST reciting in reverse order, shorter time in TMT-A and TMT-B, higher proportion of high frequency coupled sleep (HF, stable sleep), lower proportion of low frequency coupled sleep (LF, unstable sleep), and decreased LF/HF ( P<0.05). (2) The VR combined with drug treatment group after VR treatment had significantly decreased PSQI, ISI, HAMD and HAMA scores, higher total scores of AVLT immediate memory, higher scores of AVLT short delay recall, long delay recall and recognition, shorter time in TMT-A and TMT-B, increased correct times of DST reciting in order and reciting in reverse order, and higher scores of JLO, Stroop Color Word Test A/B/C and SDMT, higher proportion of HF sleep, lower LF sleep, decreased LF/HF, and decreased arousal frequency compared with that before VR treatment ( P<0.05). Conclusion:VR combined with drug treatment can effectively improve the subjective sleep quality and sleep structure, reduce depression and anxiety, and improve memory and attention of patients with chronic insomnia.