A virtual reality test being developed at the University of Toronto Scarborough is showing an edge over pencil-and-paper tests at predicting whether a cognitive impairment will have real-world consequences. 

The test, called Multitasking in the City Task, uses a computer-game-like virtual world and asks volunteers to navigate their ways through tasks such as delivering packages or running errands. Researchers tested 13 people who had suffered stroke or traumatic brain injury, giving them a battery of standard tests as well as the virtual reality test. They also gave them a questionnaire to determine how severely their cognitive deficits affected their daily lives. 

The results showed that the standard tests—which require volunteers to solve math problems, sort cards or remember names—didn't predict how big an impact the participants' cognitive deficits had on their daily lives.

For more information visit Applied Neuropsychology Adult.