Virtual reality improves embodiment and neuropathic pain caused by spinal cord injury.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate changes in body ownership and chronic neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) using multisensory own body illusions and virtual reality (VR).

Methods

Twenty patients with SCI with paraplegia and 20 healthy control participants (HC) participated in 2 factorial, randomized, repeated-measures design studies. In the virtual leg illusion (VLI), we applied asynchronous or synchronous visuotactile stimulation to the participant's back (either immediately above the lesion level or at the shoulder) and to the virtual legs as seen on a VR head-mounted display. We tested the effect of the VLI on the sense of leg ownership (questionnaires) and on perceived neuropathic pain (visual analogue scale pain ratings). We compared illusory leg ownershi

SUBMITTER: Pozeg P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5664293 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature