“Exergaming” improves cognitive function of older patients

( Natural News ) Playing video games isn’t bad at all, especially when it requires physical activity. “Exergaming,” a term used to describe playing interactive video games, can help improve the cognitive function of older adults , according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience . The study was made after Cay Anderson-Hanley, who was the lead author, and her team discovered in previous research that older people who exercised with interactive video games gained greater cognitive health benefits than those who depended on traditional exercise alone. For this study, Anderson-Hanley and her team aimed to target older adults diagnosed with or at risk of mild cognitive impairment, which is a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. Initially, researchers recruited over 100 older adults diagnosed with or at risk for mild cognitive impairment. However, only 14 participants continued exergaming for over six months. The 14 participants were divided into two groups. The first group was tasked to pedal along a scenic virtual reality bike path several times each week; while the second group was instructed to pedal while playing a video game that included chasing dragons and collecting coins, which is a more challenging task for the brain compared to that of the first group. The special bikes used were placed at different locations, such as hospitals, community centers, and independent living centers. The researchers compared the results with data gathered from a different group of eight older people who played video games on a laptop but did not pedal, and data from the earlier research who only rode a traditional stationary bike with no gaming component. Support our mission and enhance your own self-reliance : The laboratory-verified Organic Emergency Survival Bucket provides certified organic, high-nutrition storable food for emergency preparedness. Completely free of corn syrup, MSG, […]

Click here to view full article