Virtual reality as an intervention tool for upper limbs in Parkinson’s disease: a case series

ABSTRACT Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder in which dopaminergic loss occurs in the basal nuclei region. One major complaint associated with PD is upper extremity motor deficits (UE), frequently reported in difficulties to perform activities of daily living (ADL), which may negatively affect quality of life. In recent years new technologies have emerged to assist the UE rehabilitation process in PD, such as virtual reality. Therefore, this study sought to verify the effects of an intervention in the UE with semi-immersive virtual reality equipment on ADLs and quality of life of individuals with PD. Six individuals with PD were selected for intervention, and evaluated by the Mini Mental State Examination, the Hoehn & Yahr Scale, the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) and the test d’évaluation des membres supérieurs de personnes âgées (TEMPA). The interventions lasted 27 minutes per session, twice per week, for 5 weeks, using the Leap Motion Controller. Individuals showed improvement in muscle strength, muscle endurance, ADLs, and quality of life, all statistically significant. In conclusion, the protocol based on virtual reality applied to the upper limbs effectively improved the activities of daily living and quality of life in individuals with PD.