By Paddy Kamen, Publisher, BetterBrainBetterLife.com
I love to drive and I’m an enthusiast of all things that improve cognition, so I’m excited to report that a new racecar driving 3D computer game is in development that has been proven to enhance cognition in senior players. With just 12 hours of training, those between 60 – 85 are as good or better at the game than 20 year-olds playing it for the first time.
I love to drive and I’m an enthusiast of all things that improve cognition, so I’m excited to report that a new racecar driving 3D computer game is in development that has been proven to enhance cognition in senior players. With just 12 hours of training, those between 60 – 85 are as good or better at the game than 20 year-olds playing it for the first time.
The game is demanding, asking players to drive a racecar on a winding road, while also watching for a specific sign to show up on the side of the road. When that sign appears the player has to press a certain button. The game’s demands stress the brain and this stress response, or interference, is greater in older people. However, with just 12 hours of training, seniors gained significantly in memory and attention. The benefits were shown to last at least six months after the training stopped.
The game was created by University of California – San Franciso (UCSF) researchers.
The game was created by University of California – San Franciso (UCSF) researchers.
Adam Gazzaley, UCSF associate professor of neurology, and his team studied the brains of the players, and their work is published in Nature (Sept.4, 2013). Gazzaley is a co-founding advisor with Akili Interactive Labs, a company that is currently testing a clinical version of the game.
I can’t wait to try it! Read more here: http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/61488.php?from=247855
I can’t wait to try it! Read more here: http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/61488.php?from=247855