Immersive virtual prism adaptation therapy with depth-sensing camera: A feasibility study with functional near-infrared spectroscopy in healthy adults

Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) is common after stroke and associated with poor functional recovery. Prism adaptation (PA) is one of the most supported modality able to ameliorate USN but underapplied due to several issues. Using immersive virtual reality and depth-sensing camera, we developed the virtual prism adaptation therapy (VPAT) to overcome the limitations in conventional PA. In this study, we investigated whether VPAT can induce behavioral adaptations and which cortical area is most significantly activated. Fourteen healthy subjects participated in this study. The experiment consisted of four sequential phases (pre-VAPT, VPAT-10{degrees}, VPAT-20{degrees}, and post-VPAT) with functional near-infrared spectroscopy recordings. Each phase consisted of alternating target pointing and resting (or clicking) blocks. To find out the most significantly activated area during pointing in different phases (VPAT-10{degrees}, VPAT-20{degrees}, and Post-VPAT) in contrast to pointing during the pre-VPAT phase, we analyzed changes in oxyhemoglobin concentration during pointing. The pointing errors of the virtual hand deviated to the right-side during early pointing blocks in the VPAT-10{degrees} and VPAT-20{degrees} phases. There was a left-side deviation of the real hand to the target in the post-VPAT phase. The most significantly activated channels were all located in the right hemisphere, and possible corresponding cortical areas included the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and frontal eye field. In conclusion, VPAT may induce behavioral adaptation with modulation of the dorsal attentional network. Future clinical trials using multiple sessions of a high degree of rightward deviation VPAT over a more extended period are required in stroke patients with unilateral spatial neglect.