Virtual Reality in the Rehabilitation of Visually Induced Motion Sickness

NCT07318142 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 28/2024
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 46
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

In recent years, rapidly advancing virtual reality (VR) technology has been widely used in many fields, from education to health and from entertainment to therapeutic applications, by creating interactive and highly immersive digital environments. However, the increasing use of VR systems has also been associated with physiological side effects. One of these is Visually Induced Motion Sickness (VIMS), a syndrome characterized by symptoms such as eye strain, fatigue, dizziness, headache, and nausea, especially when individuals experience a sense of motion in virtual environments despite physical immobility. VIMS is thought to occur due to sensory conflicts among the visual, vestibular, and motor systems, and its severity may vary depending on individual factors and the intensity of the visual motion cues. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a VR-based vestibular rehabilitation program on symptoms associated with VIMS. The VR stimuli consist of real travel videos available on the YouTube VR platform. To enhance familiarity and the sense of presence, 360° videos depicting scenes from Istanbul, Turkey were selected and categorized based on difficulty level. The study includes two groups: a control group of healthy individuals and an experimental group of individuals diagnosed with VIMS. All participants undergo baseline assessments. The experimental group receives a VR-based vestibular rehabilitation program for 4 weeks, delivered twice per week, with each session lasting 30 minutes. The intervention uses a VR headset and consists of progressively challenging visual motion stimuli. The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated using both subjective and objective outcome measures, including the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), visual analog scale (VAS) symptom ratings, and static posturography assessments (Balance Screening and Limits of Stability - Reaction Time). Pre- and post-intervention assessments will be compared within and between groups to determine the impact of the rehabilitation program. This study is designed to contribute to the understanding of VR-based vestibular rehabilitation approaches and to support the development of safer and more effective VR applications.

Conditions

Motion Sickness, Space; Visually Induced Motion Sickness; Vestibular Rehabilitation in MS

Keywords

Visually induced motion sickness; virtual reality; vestibular rehabilitation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) Total Score Unit of Measure: points (0-42; higher scores indicate worse symptoms) Time Frame: Baseline and 4 weeks

  Assessment of VIMS-related symptoms using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire.

  Time Frame: Baseline and 4 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Symptom Score

  Time Frame: Baseline and 4 weeks

Other Outcomes (2)

• Static Posturography - Balance Screening Score

  Time Frame: Baseline and 4 weeks

• Static Posturography - Limits of Stability Reaction Time

  Time Frame: Baseline and 4 weeks

Study Arms (1)

Virtual Reality-Based Vestibular Rehabilitation

EXPERIMENTAL

The study group consisted of individuals with visually induced motion sickness (VIMS). Participants underwent a four-week virtual reality-based rehabilitation program consisting of eight sessions (30 minutes per session). The effects of VR exposure were assessed using posturography.

Other: The effects of virtual reality exposure were assessed using posturography.

Interventions

The effects of virtual reality exposure were assessed using posturography. OTHER

The study group (individuals with VIMS) underwent a four-week VR rehabilitation program consisting of 8 sessions, each lasting 30 minutes.

Virtual Reality-Based Vestibular Rehabilitation

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Aged between 18 and 30 years
• No history of otologic surgery
• No history of orthopedic surgery related to the lower extremities
• No claustrophobia
• Female participants not in menstrual or premenstrual periods
• No diagnosed neurological disorders/diseases (e.g., MS, epilepsy, cerebrovascular accident, etc.)
• No diagnosed peripheral vestibular pathologies such as Meniere's disease, BPPV, or vestibular neuritis (participants' lack of peripheral vestibular pathology confirmed by audiovestibular vHIT testing)
• No spontaneous nystagmus
• VIMSSQ Questionnaire:
• Participants answered "occasionally" or "frequently" to Question 2
• GUHHYSA Questionnaire:
• Participants answered "never" to Question 2

You may not qualify if:

• History of otologic surgery
• History of orthopedic surgery in the lower extremities
• Presence of claustrophobia
• Female participants in menstrual or premenstrual periods
• Diagnosed neurological disorders/diseases (e.g., MS, epilepsy, cerebrovascular accident, etc.)
• Diagnosed peripheral vestibular pathologies such as Meniere's disease, BPPV, or vestibular neuritis (as confirmed by audiovestibular vHIT testing)
• Presence of spontaneous nystagmus
• Participants who did not sign the informed consent form

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istanbul Aydın University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Istanbul Aydin University

Istanbul, Istanbul, 34295, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Space Motion Sickness

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motion Sickness; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Rukiye Tanisir Disci

  Istanbul Aydın University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research Assistant

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 21, 2025
• First Posted: January 5, 2026
• Study Start: June 21, 2024
• Primary Completion: September 18, 2025
• Study Completion: October 15, 2025
• Last Updated: January 5, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, CSR
• Time Frame: Data will be available beginning 6 months after publication of the main results and will remain accessible for 5 years.
• Access Criteria: Data will be available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author (Dr. Audiologist Rukiye Tanisir Disci, Istanbul Aydın University) via institutional email, after signing a data access agreement ensuring participant confidentiality.

Locations

TU (1)