Neuroscience
Space Fortress game training and executive control in older adults: A pilot intervention
Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn. 2011 Oct 12;
Stern Y, Blumen HM, Rich LW, Richards A, Herzberg G, Gopher D
Abstract
ABSTRACT We investigated the feasibility of using the Space Fortress (SF) game, a complex video game originally developed to study complex skill acquisition in young adults, to improve executive control processes in cognitively healthy older adults. The study protocol consisted of 36 one-hour game play sessions over 3 months with cognitive evaluations before and after, and a follow-up evaluation at 6 months. Sixty participants were randomized to one of three conditions: Emphasis Change (EC) - elders were instructed to concentrate on playing the entire game but place particular emphasis on a specific aspect of game play in each particular game; Active Control (AC) - game play with standard instructions; Passive Control (PC) - evaluation sessions without game play. Primary outcome measures were obtained from five tasks, presumably tapping executive control processes. A total of 54 older adults completed the study protocol. One measure of executive control, WAIS-III letter-number sequencing, showed improvement in performance from pre- to post-evaluations in the EC condition, but not in the other two conditions. These initial findings are modest but encouraging. Future SF interventions need to carefully consider increasing the duration and or the intensity of the intervention by providing at-home game training, reducing the motor demands of the game, and selecting appropriate outcome measures.
PMID: 21988726 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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Neuroscience
Neuropsychology Abstract of the Day: Gaming and Executive Control in Older Adults
Space Fortress game training and executive control in older adults: A pilot intervention
Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn. 2011 Oct 12;
Stern Y, Blumen HM, Rich LW, Richards A, Herzberg G, Gopher D
Abstract
ABSTRACT We investigated the feasibility of using the Space Fortress (SF) game, a complex video game originally developed to study complex skill acquisition in young adults, to improve executive control processes in cognitively healthy older adults. The study protocol consisted of 36 one-hour game play sessions over 3 months with cognitive evaluations before and after, and a follow-up evaluation at 6 months. Sixty participants were randomized to one of three conditions: Emphasis Change (EC) - elders were instructed to concentrate on playing the entire game but place particular emphasis on a specific aspect of game play in each particular game; Active Control (AC) - game play with standard instructions; Passive Control (PC) - evaluation sessions without game play. Primary outcome measures were obtained from five tasks, presumably tapping executive control processes. A total of 54 older adults completed the study protocol. One measure of executive control, WAIS-III letter-number sequencing, showed improvement in performance from pre- to post-evaluations in the EC condition, but not in the other two conditions. These initial findings are modest but encouraging. Future SF interventions need to carefully consider increasing the duration and or the intensity of the intervention by providing at-home game training, reducing the motor demands of the game, and selecting appropriate outcome measures.
PMID: 21988726 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- High Impact Exercise
Initial results from The IMPACT Study (Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training) were presented at a recent conference, as touted in this press release: New Research on Aging and Cognitive Training Researchers released...
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Exergaming and older adult cognition a cluster randomized clinical trial Am J Prev Med. 2012 Feb;42(2):109-19 Anderson-Hanley C, Arciero PJ, Brickman AM, Nimon JP, Okuma N, Westen SC, Merz ME, Pence BD, Woods JA, Kramer AF, Zimmerman EA Abstract BACKGROUND:...
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Nutter-Upham KE, Saykin AJ, Rabin LA, Roth RM, Wishart HA, Pare N, Flashman LA. Verbal fluency performance in amnestic MCI and older adults with cognitive complaints. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. 2008 May; 23(3): 229-241. Neuropsychology Program,...
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I recently noticed a press release about a new entrant in the Game Brain game: Sharp Brains....
- Abstract Of The Day: Executive Task Performance And Functional Status In Elderly Persons
Rapp MA, Schnaider Beeri M, Schmeidler J, Sano M, Silverman JM, Haroutunian V. Relationship of neuropsychological performance to functional status in nursing home residents and community-dwelling older adults. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry....