Strategy Games Improve Cognitive Functions In Older Adults

Researchers at the University of Illinois have completed a study about using video games to stimulate cognitive function in adults over 60 years old. The scientists selected a strategy game — because of its scope and the variety of different tasks involved — and trained a group of subjects on how to play. The gamers then scored better than a control group on a number of cognitive tests. Quoting: "The tests included measures of their ability to switch between tasks, their short-term visual memory, their reasoning skills and their working memory, which is the ability to hold two or more pieces of information in memory and use the information as needed. There were also tests of the subjects' verbal recall, their ability to inhibit certain responses and their ability to identify an object that had been rotated to a greater or lesser degree from its original position. The researchers found that training on the video game did improve the participants' performance on a number of these tests. As a group, the gamers became significantly better — and faster — at switching between tasks compared with the comparison group. Their working memory, as reflected in the tests, also was significantly improved. Their reasoning ability was enhanced. To a lesser extent, their short-term memory of visual cues was better than that of their peers, as was their ability to identify rotated objects."

Starcraft

[Anonymous Coward]

Yay. Now I can beat my Grandmother and Grandfather at Starcarft without feeling bad about it.

More seriously, I wonder if board games like Risk would have the same effect...

Re:Starcraft

[gmuslera]

Probably learning anything new with so much points that must be considered (military, economy, population, etc) should do the work. Risk is too much simpler than Rise of the Nations to translate this study findings in all those areas, but probably Civilization would be close enough.

But the finding that amazed me more is about the flexibility that still have the brain at 60+ of age, and the changes that you can still get at that age with 40 hrs of the right activity..

That's All Well and Good

[LeadLine]

I'd be more interested in the differences between people who have been playing for a long time (10 years) and those who have never (or rarely) pick up a game.

Re:New for 2009!

[Lumpy]

That's why you suck at it.

C&C is in FACT a Strategy game. Those that dont think it is is owned within minutes in the game. There are lots of strategy moves you can do to make the game quite a bit easier or have a different outcome. Lots of players do the click and react and use a little bit of tactics.

There is a crapload of strategy in it.

SAying that C&C or any game like it is not strategy is like saying that Chess is a simple tactics game.

My Experience

[scubamage]

My grandmother and grand father both suffered from alzheimer's before they died, so I'm familiar with the normal progression it makes (at least so far as I've experienced it). When my father was diagnosed with alzheimer's, my mother bought him a nintendo DS, and all of the brain age games. She got him a Wii for big brain academy. His episodes of forgetfulness seem to have halted, or at least slowed down, since he began playing the games regularly (my mother hawks over him to make sure he plays his games for the day). I know I can't really infer anything from my experiences, especially since I haven't gathered any data outside of my observations, but for what its worth my experiences support the findings of this study. I think this is a poorly explored area which really could yield some benefits.

Not limited to games

[Khopesh]

Any kind of concept that requires creating new pathways in the brain through critical thinking will have this result.

Other studies have concluded that regularly playing crossword puzzles [cnn.com] is good for staving off (and even reversing!) dementia/Alzheimer's. This helps significantly more if the person didn't play them regularly beforehand because it is a new routine. Routines are good, but the conclusion all of these related studies is finding (whether they realize it or not) is:

The aging brain needs constant stimulation and new intellectual problems to tackle. Strategy games, crossword puzzles, sudoku, and tons of other items fulfill this. Ginkgo and other pills/remedies do not.

(Yeah, yeah; [citation needed] ... this comes from a recent discussion with a neuroscientist, who would probably cite research papers that aren't linkable online.)