Non-Invasive BCI-VR Applied Protocols as Intervention Paradigms on School-Aged Subjects with ASD: A Systematic Review

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 25; no. 5; p. 1342
• Main Authors: Alexopoulou, Archondoula, Pergantis, Pantelis, Koutsojannis, Constantinos, Triantafillou, Vassilios, Drigas, Athanasios
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 22.02.2025; MDPI
• Subjects: Adolescent; Augmented reality; Autism; autism spectrum disorder (ASD); Autism Spectrum Disorder - physiopathology; Autism Spectrum Disorder - therapy; Brain; Brain-Computer Interfaces; brain–computer interface (BCI); Child; Cognition - physiology; Communication; EEG signals; Electroencephalography; Humans; Interfaces; Intervention; Male; neurofeedback (NFT); Signal processing; Social media; Social skills; Spectrum analysis; Systematic Review; Virtual Reality; virtual reality (VR); Greece; United States; California; brain–computer interface (BCI); memory; joint attention; EEG signals; autism spectrum disorder (ASD); emotional regulation; virtual reality (VR); neurofeedback (NFT); social skills
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s25051342

This paper aims to highlight non-invasive BCI-VR applied protocols as intervention paradigms on school-aged subjects with ASD. Computer-based interventions are considered appropriate for users with ASD as concentration on a screen reduces other stimuli from the environment that are likely to be distracting or disruptive. Since there are no social conditions for engagement in such processes and the responses of computing systems do not hold surprises for users, as the outputs are fully controlled, they are ideal for ASD subjects. Children and adolescents with ASD, when supported by BCI interventions through virtual reality applications, especially appear to show significant improvements in core symptoms, such as cognitive and social deficits, regardless of their age or IQ. We examined nine protocols applied from 2016 to 2023, focusing on the BCI paradigms, the procedure, and the outcomes. Our study is non-exhaustive but representative of the state of the art in the field. As concluded by the research, BCI-VR applied protocols have no side effects and are rather easy to handle and maintain, and despite the fact that there are research limitations, they hold promise as a tool for improving social and cognitive skills in school-aged individuals with ASD.