Cortical correlate of spatial presence in 2D and 3D interactive virtual reality: An EEG study

The present study is the first that examined neuronal underpinnings of spatial presence using multi-channel EEG in an interactive virtual reality (VR). We compared two VR-systems: a highly immersive Single-Wall-VR-system (three-dimensional view, large screen) and a less immersive Desktop-VR-system (two-dimensional view, small screen). Twenty-nine participants performed a spatial navigation task in a virtual maze and had to state their sensation of “being there” on a 5-point rating scale. Task-related power decrease/increase (TRPD/TRPI) in the Alpha band (8–12 Hz) and coherence analyses in different frequency bands were used to analyze the EEG data. The Single-Wall-VR-system caused a more intense presence experience than the Desktop-VR-system. This increased feeling of presence in the Single-Wall-VR-condition was accompanied by an increased parietal TRPD in the Alpha band, which is associated with cortical activation. The lower presence experience in the Desktop-VR-group was accompanied by a stronger functional connectivity between frontal and parietal brain regions indicating that the communication between these two brain areas is crucial for the presence experience. Hence, we found a positive relationship between presence and parietal brain activation and a negative relationship between presence and frontal brain activation in an interactive VR-paradigm, supporting the results of passive non-interactive VR-studies.

► Presence experience is associated with activity of a fronto-parietal network.
► Different immersive virtual realities lead to different cortical activation patterns.
► Cortical correlates of presence in non-interactive and interactive VR are comparable.