Puzzle games for older people had this surprising ability to support mental capabilities to the extent that memory and concentration levels were the same as a 20 year-olds who had not played puzzle games
Dr. Joe Cutting, University of York, Department of Computer Science
Most mornings I start out the day doing puzzles and word games on my iPad. I can drag out my breakfast routine for over an hour if I don’t pay attention to the time, trying to solve one game and then another. I have heard from other People with Parkinson’s that they often do the same thing. We need to keep exercising our brains, we are told, to keep them working well. Apparently there has not been a lot of research on “brain games” for Parkinson’s until now.
Several years ago, in 2017, I wrote about a study using video games at Purdue University:
Play video games. Yes, video games. When was the last time you played Super Mario Brothers? Researchers at Purdue University are now looking at the benefits of use the Wii games to improve Parkinson’s patients’ movement, speech, and quality of life. So dig out the old Nintendo Wii system gathering dust somewhere in your house and have a good time.
You can read the rest of the blog here.
Finally, some new research on digital games
Fast forward to last month, when Medical News Today published the following article Digital puzzle games may help improve memory in older adults. Dr. Joe Cutting and his team at University of York conducted a study on memory using digital puzzle games. This study was not just for PwP’s, but for all older adults. But the implications for those of us with PD are important.
We all know that memory decreases with age. It goes beyond forgetting names of people or things. Or walking into a room and not knowing why you are there. Parkinson’s may make us even more vulnerable to a rapid decline in memory, so we need to find ways to keep our minds sharp.
Working Memory
Do you have trouble remembering the instructions for a task? It may be an indication of a working memory problem.
The article says that “working memory is defined as “the small amount of information that can be held in mind and used in the execution of cognitive tasks.
For example, when someone gives instructions to complete a task, the person would rely on their working memory to keep the instructions in mind for the duration of the task.”
In this study, the researchers wanted to test whether certain types of games are connected with improvements in memory among younger and older adults. They used the following types of games in the study:
- action
- strategy
- puzzle
The data analysis showed that older adults who reported playing digital puzzle games had a higher working memory capacity than the older adults who played either of the other game types or did not play games at all.
Videogames can be forms of cognitive stimulation
I asked my friend, Ryan Glatt, MSc, who is doing his own research on brain games (or edutainment) for people with Parkinsons at the Pacific Brain Institute in Santa Monica, California, to take a look at the study. He says:
“This study supports the idea that videogames, including certain puzzle and strategy videogames, can be forms of cognitive stimulation that may benefit specific cognitive domains, such as working memory or concentration. There also may be an age-related effect and may also depend on the type of games played. For example, older adults seem to be improve their working memory by playing puzzle games but not strategy or action games. However, it is important to note that this study is observational and that this study may indicate gaming preferences based on age rather than suggesting causal effects. More research is needed to determine if specific games can be recommended to target specific cognitive processes, which may be meditate by age, playing ‘dosage’ and the type of game.”
For me, I am convinced that playing those games helps to keep my mind sharp for now. As long as I limit how much time I spend on the games, I should be ok.
Speaking of Video Games
In June, 2019, at the World Parkinson Congress in Kyoto, I was approached by Matt Eagles, who had developed a deck of ParkyLife Cards for People with Parkinson’s. One of his cards was Super Twitchy Mario, based on my blog, with a brain playing video games!
Sweet Poppy Lane
Looking for some cool gifts? Check out my daughter’s new online store Sweet Poppy Lane. Every purchase at Poppy Lane contributes to a greater cause. There is also some Twitchy Woman Swag available on her site.
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