A Video Game to Enhance Cognitive Health in Older Adults

As people age, they lose some of their ability to sustain their attention and to focus their attention on their main task while ignoring distractions.  This study aims to improve these and other related cognitive skills by using a driving game in which players practice paying attention to relevant information, such as traffic signs, and ignoring irrelevant information, such as billboards.  The study monitors brain activity with electroencephalography (EEG), and observes eye position and game performance, in younger adults (ages 18 to 30) and older adults (ages 60 to 80) before and after six weeks of game play.  The study assesses changes in cognitive ability, brain activity, and transfer of game-related skills to similar cognitive operations and activities that take place in daily life.