The Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality on Anterograde Amnesia and Subjective Pain During Procedures: A Within-Subject Randomized Controlled Study
Authors' conclusion
Results of this study provide preliminary evidence that immersive VR reduces memory for a painful experience.
Study context
- Population
- Healthy adult volunteers receiving hot and cold thermal stimulicrossover
- Participants
- 16 volunteers
- Comparison
- Immersive virtual reality (VR) distraction vs no-VR during thermal stimuli
- Primary endpoint
- Memory recall accuracy for the order of hot/cold stimuli
- Follow-up
- After a brief delay after each stimulus set
Methodological detailswithin-subject, crossover, treatment order randomised
- Within-subject
- Crossover
- Treatment order randomised
Primary result
Recall accuracy of hot/cold order
Wilcoxon signed-rank Z
3.09
P = 0.002
By group
As reported in the abstract
Further findings
Mean
| Outcome | VR | no-VR | Wilcoxon signed-rank Z | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distraction (GRS 0-10)R = 0.86 | 7.60 (SD 1.72) | 2.07 (SD 2.16) | 3.42 | P < 0.001 |
| Pain intensity (GRS 0-10)R = 0.87 | 4.03 (SD 1.61) | 6.30 (SD 1.81) | 3.47 | P < 0.001 |
Original publication
The Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality on Anterograde Amnesia and Subjective Pain During Procedures: A Within-Subject Randomized Controlled Study. Anesth Analg. Published 15 May 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →