Assessment of mixed reality-based head-mounted display for neuroanatomy education in medical students

Background Many medical students develop an aversion to neurology because of insufficient understanding of neuroanatomical structures and limited educational opportunities. Extended reality (XR), an umbrella term encompassing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), has attracted considerable attention as a novel educational tool for addressing challenges in neuroanatomy education. In this study, questionnaire-based evaluations were subsequently conducted to investigate the potential usefulness of MR-based head-mounted display (HMD) for future neuroanatomy education. Methods Three-dimensional images derived from neurosurgical cases were created and displayed using an MR-based HMD. Thirty-one medical students experienced the educational program and subsequently completed a questionnaire. Each of the 10 questionnaire items (Q1-Q10) was quantitatively evaluated using a 10-point Likert scale. To quantify learners’ psychological constructs, seven questionnaire items (Q1-Q7) were aggregated into two Likert scales: the “Usefulness” scale (Q1- Q4) and the “Interest and Motivation for Learning” scale (Q5-Q7). Results The mean scores for the “Usefulness” scale and the “Interest and Motivation for Learning” scale were 9.27 ± 1.21 and 8.85 ± 1.44 (mean ± standard deviation), respectively. In contrast, the mean score for “User Satisfaction with Operability” (Q8) was 7.42 ± 1.84. Additionally, the score for “Physical Strain” (Q10) was low (1.68 ± 1.01). Conclusions Both the “Usefulness” and the “Interest and Motivation for Learning” scale demonstrated high scores. In contrast, “User Satisfaction with Operability” was relatively lower, although “Physical Strain” remained minimal. These findings suggest that MR-based HMDs are promising educational tools for neuroanatomy education.