The Effects of Vestibular Dysfunction on Cognition

The Effects of Vestibular Dysfunction on Cognition

Alvin Sherman Library

Virtual Reality (VR) systems are being used more in education, entertainment, and research, but can produce motion sickness that could temporarily disrupt cognitive functioning. This study examined whether exposure to a VR roller coaster experience leads to short-term changes in cognitive flexibility, attention, spatial orientation awareness, and anxiety compared to a control condition. Participants were randomly assigned to a VR condition or a computer-based 2D viewing condition with identical roller coaster visual content. Participants completed three testing blocks: baseline, after exposure, and after a 10-minute recovery period. Cognitive flexibility and attention were assessed using the Trail Making Test (TMT) and spatial orientation awareness was assessed using the Perspective Taking/Spatial Orientation Test (PTSOT). Anxiety and motion sickness were assessed using surveys. Initial analyses show that participants in the VR condition, compared to both their own baseline performance and the control group, experienced temporary disruptions of cognitive flexibility and attention. We did not find any differences in spatial orientation awareness. Motion sickness and anxiety analyses are still ongoing. Finally, we find that after the recovery period, cognitive flexibility and attention returns towards baseline measures. Thus, preliminary results point to VR as a tool that can lead to short-term disruptions in some aspects of cognitive functioning. Further research is needed to explain how repeated exposure to VR, VR system design, and individual susceptibility can influence factors such as duration and magnitude of effects.