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 There seems to be a lot of arguing about the value of video games in
everyday life. Violence in schools always seems to bring the knee-jerk
reaction about how violence in video games are affecting our youth.
Researchers today, however, are becoming interested in how video games
affect our seniors. Specifically, there is a fair amount of research
being performed regarding whether gaming can stave off the symptoms of
Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
Alzheimer's patients are known to exhibit diminished levels of
dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Without dopamine, people aren't able to
learn properly. Disturbances in dopamine levels affect behavior,
feelings, appetite, and memory.
Common symptoms of Alzheimer's, a
degenerative brain disease, include loss of memory, loss of ability to
speak and think clearly, the loss of ability to perform activities of
daily living, and visible changes in behavior.
Current research
indicates that altering the levels of dopamine in the body may
allieviate some of the mood and emotional imbalances associated with
Alzheimer's. A number of studies have indicated that game-playing
triggers the release of dopamine in the brain.
In addition to the benefits of dopamine and game-playing, it has been
found that a person who stays intellectually active can reduce the risk
of Alzheimer's by one-third. Studies have shown that mentally active
people exhibit a lower rate of symptoms and that they may have a later
onset of symptoms for dementia.
Television produces an alpha state
similar to sleep and deep meditation. Keeping intellectually active
and curious can help stave off the affects of Alzheimer's, studies
show. Video games keep the player thinking. One of the goals of good
game design is to affect the inner dialogue a player maintains while
playing. It is common knowledge that gaming affects eye-hand
coordination and reflexes.
Studies have now shown that video games
also improve visual skills, attention span and information processing
time. One study, by Shawn Green and Daphne Bavelier at the University
of Rochester, found that gamers consistently out-performed non-gamers
on standard tests that measured these skills.
 In a now well-known study, neuroscientist Richard Haier, conducted
research using brain scans on students playing the Tetris video game.
He noted that some parts of the brain used less glucose as the players
became more skilled at the game.
This indicates that the brain
actually works more efficiently with training. A new study, published
September 1, 2009, found that Tetris players' brain functions improved
in areas linked to critical thinking, reasoning, language, and
information processing.
In October of 2006, the Federation of American
Scientists endorsed video games as a potential means for teaching
high-order thinking skills such as strategic thinking, interpretive
analysis, problem-solving, plan formation and execution and adaptation
to rapid change. This is the kind of thinking that those hoping to
avoid Alzheimer's need to improve.
Gaming won't prevent dementia. It can't cure it. Successful gamers
must focus, have patience, plan, and prioritize scarce resources. In
other words, they must think.
This is the goal of research into gaming and Alzheimer's. While games
such as Brain Age promise to "Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!", most
games offer the benefits described above. It's not a cure, but it may
be prevention.
For More Information:
Free Brain Games on HG4H
This is Your Brain on Tetris
How Games Change Your Brain
Using Dopamine to Treat Diseases
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