Behavioural and hormonal correlates of virtuality during autobiographical memory retrieval

Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly permeating medical practice, facilitating new health interventions and diagnostic tools to delay or alleviate cognitive aging. However, it remains unclear whether fully automated virtual memory tasks match the efficacy and physiological safety of traditional interventions administered by human providers. To address this, we evaluated an odour-triggered autobiographical memory task across four discrete conditions.

Selected as strategic points along the latent „virtuality continuum”, these conditions model the step-by-step translation of clinical memory tasks—from reality human-facilitated real-world care (VR0), augmented care using multisensory VR (VR1) to fully autonomous, text-guided VR (VR2) and virtual agent-mediated interactions (VR3). Subjective sense of presence was equivalent across all VR environments (VR1–VR3), confirming a controlled baseline of visual immersion. Subjects recalled comparable numbers of autobiographical memories in all conditions, but the virtual social environment (VR3) triggered the longest recall durations.

All VR environments elicited memories with more positive emotional valence than real-person delivery. Critically, salivary levels of the social hormone oxytocin were significantly decreased after tasks performed in automated environments (VR2 and VR3) compared to the human-guided VR1. These findings confirm VR’s high potential for memory training while highlighting a possible reduction in physiological social activation when replacing human providers with virtual agents.

As virtual agents expand in daily healthcare, our data underscore the importance of assessing physiological social responses, particularly for prolonged interventions. This research was carried with the support of European Economic Area (EEA) Norway under the grant STAD – Social Transmission of Cognitive and Emotional States in the Care of Alzheimer’s Disease Patients EEA-RONO-2018–0606 implemented UNATC “I.L. Caragiale,” at the CINETic Centre, LDCAPEI LAB.

We thank to the subjects who volunteered to participate in the research process and technical team Diana Herescu, Doina Strat, Marius Hodea, Tănase Dumitru, Dan Făcăru, Sabin Serban and the UNATC staff involved in administrative grant management. Additional funding covering publication was provided through FDI Grant 2026 1209 Cercetarea AX UNATC. Laboratory for Cognitive Development and Applied Psychology through Immersive Experiences, CINETic Centre, LDCAPEI, National University of Theatre and Film IL Caragiale, Bucharest, Romania Claudiu Papasteri, Alexandru I.

Berceanu, Teofila Rădeanu, Ciprian Făcăeru, Cătălina Poalelungi, Alexandra Sofonea, Ioana Carcea & Dragos Cirneci Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania Department for Animation and Interactivity, National University of Theatre and Film IL Caragiale, Bucharest, Romania National Institute of Endocrinology C. Parhon, Bucharest, Romania Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway Brain Health Institute, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Spiru Haret University, Bucharest, Romania Correspondence to Alexandru I. The authors declare no competing interests.