Recently, YourLifeChoices looked into whether brain-training games worked. While the science is still out on whether these games can boost cognitive power, it seems that many of the designers could not support the claims they were making.
That doesn’t mean video games do not have a role to play in improving brain function.
In fact, there has been plenty of research to suggest that certain games can improve memory, attention and stave off some of the effects of dementia.
A study published in Nature found that through the use of a specially designed 3D video game, cognitive performance could be improved in older adults and some of the adverse effects on the brain associated with ageing may be reversed.
After 12 hours of training over a month, study participants aged between 60 to 85 years improved performance on the game that surpassed that of individuals in their 20s playing the game for the first time.
Working memory and sustained attention were also improved.
These skills were maintained six months after completion of their training.
A more recent study conducted by neurobiologists at the University of California-Irvine (UCI) found that playing 3D video games could also boost the formation of memories.
Participants were allocated to either a group that played video games with a 2D environment or a 3D environment. After playing the games for 30 minutes per day for two weeks, the students were given memory tests that engaged the brain’s hippocampus.
Strategy video games, in particular, have shown promise in improving brain function among older adults and may provide protection against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Do you play any video games? Do you think they have been working to improve your cognitive function? Would you recommend them to a friend?
Read more at medicalnewstoday.com
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