The Benefits of Virtual Reality in the Care of Elderly People With Psychomotor Disadaptation Syndrome (VIR-AGE)

The Value of Virtual Reality in the Care of Elderly People With Psychomotor Disadaptation Syndrome: a Randomised Controlled Trial of Mixed Efficacy and Implementation vs. Conventional Rehabilitative Care

Psychomotor Disadaptation Syndrome (PMDS) is characterised by a deterioration in postural function, gait and psychomotor automatisms in the elderly. It is often associated with falls and can manifest itself as retropulsion, gait abnormalities, neurological disorders and psycho-behavioural problems. For the majority of these patients, a stay in a geriatric medical and rehabilitation centre is necessary, enabling an objective assessment of these disorders and multi-professional care, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists and adapted physical activity teachers, aimed at restoring safe movement and motor independence. However, rehabilitation relies on traditional exercises that are limited, repetitive and sometimes far removed from everyday activities. Technological innovations such as virtual reality (VR) offer opportunities to improve care by creating immersive environments that reproduce real-life situations. VR could thus help to rehabilitate the motor problems associated with MS.

The aim of the VIR-AGE project is to study the clinical benefits of VR in the rehabilitation of hospitalised elderly people suffering from PMDS in terms of functional deficits, particularly motor deficits.

The study will take place at the Centre gériatrique Champmaillot of the CHU Dijon Bourgogne. A total of 50 patients with SPDM will take part.

The total duration of your participation is 5 weeks.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Psychomotor Disadaptation Syndrome
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Evaluation visits; Other: Rehabilitation sessions; Other: Virtual reality sessions; Other: Additional rehabilitation sessions

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Paul ORNETTI; Phone Number: 0380293745; Email: paul.ornetti@chu-dijon.fr

Study Locations

• France
  • Dijon, France, 21000
    • Recruiting
    • CHU Dijon Bourgogne
    • Contact: Mathieu GUEUGNON; Phone Number: 0380293571; Email: mathieu.gueugnon@chu-dijon.fr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Person who has given written consent
• Person aged ≥ 65 years;
• With a proven diagnosis of motor maladjustment syndrome;
• Hospitalised in a geriatric care unit;
• Able to understand a simple instruction and answer a closed question;
• Ability to perform the TUG within 7 days of arriving on site

Exclusion Criteria:

• Person not affiliated to or not benefiting from a social security scheme
• Person subject to a legal protection measure (curatorship, guardianship)
• Person subject to a judicial protection measure
• An adult who is incapable or unable to give consent
• Persons with epilepsy, kinetosis or known claustrophobia Persons unable to understand simple instructions for carrying out tests
• Anyone with a severe visual and/or hearing impairment
• Any person with a behavioural disorder (agitation, aggressiveness)
• Any person with a severe walking or balance problem that makes motor exercises unsuitable
• Anyone with a pathology, injury, wound or severe deformity to the head or cervical spine
• Any person suffering from severe vertigo, diagnosed at the discretion of the investigating doctor
• Inability to use arm for pointing
• Persons susceptible to migraines
• Non-French speakers
• Anyone with an inter-pupillary distance outside the range of possible helmet adjustments

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Experimental: conventional rehabilitation + 3 virtual reality sessions	Other: Evaluation visits; 3 assessment visits (initial (V1), intermediate (V2) and final (V3). A series of motor assessments carried out by the physiotherapist: Timed Up and Go Test (TUG); 10 m walk test (TM10); Functional Reach Test (FRT); Minimum Motor Test (TMM); 10 m walk test combined with a verbal task such as naming different animals; Other: Rehabilitation sessions; Usual treatment: 4 to 5 rehabilitation sessions per week, each lasting 45 minutes.; Other: Virtual reality sessions; 3 virtual reality sessions per week, each lasting 30 minutes.
Active Comparator: Control: conventional rehabilitation + 3 additional rehabilitation sessions	Other: Evaluation visits; 3 assessment visits (initial (V1), intermediate (V2) and final (V3). A series of motor assessments carried out by the physiotherapist: Timed Up and Go Test (TUG); 10 m walk test (TM10); Functional Reach Test (FRT); Minimum Motor Test (TMM); 10 m walk test combined with a verbal task such as naming different animals; Other: Rehabilitation sessions; Usual treatment: 4 to 5 rehabilitation sessions per week, each lasting 45 minutes.; Other: Additional rehabilitation sessions; 3 additional rehabilitation sessions per week. These sessions correspond to standard rehabilitation sessions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change in 'Timed Up and Go' time between initial and final assessment	5 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 16, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 10, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 10, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): June 18, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 21, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 20, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Disease; Syndrome
• Other Study ID Numbers: DIPANDA 2024

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No