The Impact of Virtual Reality Training on Immune-Related Mechanisms in Alzheimer's Disease

ObjectiveThere is currently lack of research on the molecular mechanisms of VR therapy. In this study, we aimed to analyze the differential gene expression profiles and functional pathway enrichment of peripheral blood samples of AD related Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)patients before and after VR treatment using high-throughput sequencing methods and compare to normal controls to explore the targeted genes and potential intervention mechanisms of VR treatment. MethodsSelect five AD patients and five normal controls, collect peripheral blood samples, perform whole transcriptome sequencing to screen for differentially expressed mRNA genes before and after VR treatment and in comparison with the control group. Combine with GO and KEGG pathway enhancement to elucidate the underlying biological mechanisms and related pathways to predict the targeted genes and potential intervention mechanisms of VR treatment. ResultsPre- and post-VR treatment group comparisons revealed a total of 1167 significantly differentially expressed genes in the mRNA data, with 165 genes upregulated and 1002 downregulated. Among these, ZFP36, FOS, JUN, FOSB, and PMAIP1 were identified as disease-related genes. Furthermore, immune infiltration analysis indicated that PMAIP1, ZFP36, and FOSB were correlated with immune cells. GO analysis highlighted significant enrichment in immune-related pathways. ConclusionVR treatment may modulate immune and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms, potentially contributing to its therapeutic efficacy in AD. The specific mechanisms require further research and validation.