Cognitive functioning naturally deteriorates across an individual’s lifespan, with the decline of cognitive abilities often exacerbated by age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD). While cognitive training has shown promise in rehabilitating cognitive deficits, the efficacy of traditional screen-based approaches remains limited. Virtual reality (VR), however, offers an embodied experience that provides users with body-related feedback, contributing to increased motivation, engagement, and potentially greater training efficacy.
In response to these limitations, Virtuleap has developed Enhance VR (doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2022.916052), a cognitive training application in VR that features a collection of 15 short, gamified cognitive exercises based on validated neuropsychological tests. The app tracks users' overall cognitive performance through the Enhance Performance Index (EPI), an in-game scoring system, alongside motor and behavioral data that reflect each user's unique gameplay profile.
Enhance VR is available across multiple app stores, with over 69,000 registered users to date. The app is currently undergoing validation as a therapeutic tool for various conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (doi: 10.3389/frvir.2023.1108060), intellectual disability (doi: 10.3390/healthcare12171705), aging, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and emotional regulation, among others.

https://virtuleap.com/enhance

• Costa Rica
• Italy
• Japan
• Portugal
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States of America

• Older persons
• People with disabilities
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Children between 5 and 12
• Elderly

Enhance VR is a versatile cognitive training tool that can be replicated across various cognitive conditions and geographical regions. In addition to being tested for multiple conditions—such as ADHD, intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and emotional regulation—it can also be applied to other areas where cognition is affected, including chemobrain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and more.
The app’s potential extends beyond clinical conditions to populations in vulnerable situations. Enhance VR can provide cognitive training to migrants, refugees, internally displaced people, remote and rural communities, and individuals experiencing poverty or unemployment, all of whom are at risk of cognitive decline due to their circumstances.
Thanks to its digital nature, Enhance VR can be used anywhere with an internet connection—a resource that is increasingly accessible worldwide. While the requirement of a VR headset may pose a limitation, the rapid democratization of VR technology is addressing this challenge. With more brands entering the market and reducing the cost of VR headsets, these devices are becoming more affordable and widespread. This ongoing trend is expected to significantly enhance the replicability and scalability of Enhance VR.

Enhance VR is fundamentally sustainable across environmental, economic, and social dimensions.
Sustainability in Healthcare Costs
Enhance VR contributes to long-term sustainability in healthcare systems by focusing on prevention rather than treatment. By offering cognitive training that may help delay or prevent the onset of cognitive decline, Enhance VR can reduce the burden on healthcare systems that would otherwise spend billions annually on treating dementia, depression, and related conditions. Preventive interventions are not only more cost-effective but also improve quality of life, thereby promoting sustainable healthcare outcomes.
Environmental Sustainability
Traditional cognitive training and therapy often require in-person appointments, paper-based materials, and infrastructure. Enhance VR eliminates these inefficiencies by offering fully digital, immersive experiences that can be accessed from anywhere. This reduces the need for transportation, physical materials, and infrastructure, thereby lowering the carbon footprint of cognitive training programs. Furthermore, VR devices are increasingly becoming more energy-efficient and recyclable, contributing to environmental sustainability.
Social and Economic Impact
Enhance VR contributes to social sustainability by addressing growing concerns around mental health, cognitive decline, and emotional regulation, particularly in vulnerable populations such as adolescents, students, astronauts, and the elderly. By promoting cognitive resilience, Enhance VR can contribute to a healthier, more productive society, reducing social costs associated with mental health issues.

Enhance VR promotes the values of the WSIS by leveraging digital innovation to improve cognitive health, reduce inequalities, and empower individuals with cognition-related challenges. Through its immersive, data-driven cognitive training, Enhance VR supports the WSIS vision of building an inclusive, accessible, and ethical information society. The platform fosters inclusivity by offering accessible cognitive training to populations at risk of marginalization due to cognitive decline, including seniors, adolescents, and individuals recovering from neurological conditions. By removing traditional barriers to healthcare access through portable VR solutions, Enhance VR helps bridge the digital divide and reaches underserved communities. Enhance VR empowers individuals by strengthening cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and emotional regulation. Its personalized, adaptive training supports human capacity building and lifelong learning, aligning with WSIS principles of promoting digital skills for all. The platform also contributes to preventive healthcare by identifying early markers of cognitive decline, reducing risks of mental health disorders such as dementia and depression. The platform promotes social cohesion by addressing inequalities in cognitive health access, providing vulnerable populations with tools to improve mental well-being and reduce social isolation. By fostering collaboration between healthcare providers, researchers, and technology developers, Enhance VR supports global solidarity and cooperation in advancing digital health solutions. Finally, Enhance VR adheres to WSIS ethical values through responsible data usage. It leverages data insights to personalize user experiences while prioritizing privacy and data protection. This ethical approach reflects WSIS principles of using ICTs to improve health outcomes in a way that promotes trust, equity, and sustainability.