Table 2.

Study rationale: therapeutic application and main study goal

Therapeutic application	Main goal category	Article	Main goal description. The article mainly studies:
Stroke rehabilitation	(i)	[25] [30]	The effects of NIBS, VR and its combination on therapy for upper limb training in patients with subacute stroke. The effects of combining NIBS with VR-based motor skill training in patients with subacute stroke
	(ii)	[31]	The effect of adding NIBS to VR therapy, for upper limb training in unilateral stroke
		[29]	Whether combining NIBS with VR training could improve upper limb function in subacute stroke patients
		[28]	The effects of adding NIBS to a VR-BCI therapy for motor recovery after stroke
		[32]	The effects of adding NIBS in VR therapy to improve upper limb motor function after stroke
	(iii)	[33]	The effects of NIBS-VR paradigm for upper limb rehabilitation in a stroke survivor with severe hemiparesis
Phobia and PTSD	(ii)	[34] [35]	The effects on acute anxiety of adding NIBS to a VR experience for patients with spider phobia The impact on emotion regulation of adding NIBS to a VR experience for patients with spider phobia
		[36]	The use of NIBS during VR experience to reduce psychophysiological arousal and symptoms in veterans with PTSD
Cerebral palsy	(ii)	[37]	The effects of a single session of NIBS combined with VR training on functional mobility in children with cerebral palsy
		[26]	The effects of a single session of NIBS combined with VR training on the balance of children with cerebral palsy
		[38]	The effects of multiple sessions of NIBS combined with VR training on the balance of children with cerebral palsy
Neuropathic pain	(i)	[39]	The analgesic effect of using NIBS on the motor cortex, and VR techniques, applied isolated or combined
	(iii)	[40]	The effects on pain relief of a NIBS-VR intervention, to improve neuropathic pain in patients with severe spinal cord injury
Multiple sclerosis	(ii)	[41]	The effects of VR combined NIBS on balance, fatigue, and quality of life in a patient with multiple sclerosis

The main study goal was grouped according to three categories, studies that evaluated: (i) studies that evaluated the effects of VR- and NIBS-based therapies separately and jointly (i.e., VR-NIBS); (ii) studies that evaluated the effects of VR-based therapy, and the addition of NIBS to it, i.e., VR-NIBS; and (iii) studies that did not evaluate VR- nor NIBS-based separately, but only jointly VR-NIBS therapy