Video Game May Help Keep Aging Brains Sharp

Older gamers may gain more mentally than crossword puzzle solvers, study suggests

By Maureen Salamon

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Keeping the brain nimble in older adulthood may be as simple as playing a video game, according to researchers who compared the thought-process benefits of crossword puzzles with a computer program that increased users' mental speed and agility.

Analyzing 681 healthy people aged 50 and up, scientists found that those who played a "Road Tour" video game for at least 10 hours -- which required them to identify "vehicles" among an ever-faster array -- gained at least three years of cognitive (mental skill) improvement after one year. A group that received four additional hours of training with the game improved their thinking abilities by four years.

"The bad news about brain plasticity is that . . . we start slowing down in our early 30s and it continues. The good news is, with the right kind of training programs, we can regain what we've lost and maybe get people to higher levels," said study author Fredric Wolinsky, a professor of public health at the University of Iowa.

"It seems some remodeling of the brain is taking place, but we need to figure out exactly which parts of the brain are undergoing functional improvements," added Wolinsky, who has no financial stake in the video game used in the research.

The study is published May 1 in the journal PLoS ONE.

Wolinsky and his team split participants into four groups, further separating them into sets of those 50 to 64 and those over 65. One group was given computerized crossword puzzles and the three other groups repeatedly used the Road Tour game.

The video game centers on quickly identifying a type of vehicle and matching its symbol with the correct road sign among a circular array of possibilities. The player must succeed three out of every four tries to advance to the next level, which speeds up the process and adds more distractions.

Participants who played the video game scored significantly higher than those in the crossword puzzle group on tests involving executive function such as concentration, agile shifting from one mental task to another, and information processing speed. The mental improvement in the video game group ranged from 1.5 to nearly seven years compared to those doing crossword puzzles, the investigators found.

Wolinsky noted that many other brain-training games are available commercially, though few have scientific evidence to back up their cognitive improvement claims. Road Tour forces users to widen their field of vision in order to take in all the information required to succeed, he said.

"There's been considerable assumption that the visual field of view, the amount of area we take in, declines with age," he said. "For people to visualize the center and periphery requires them to shift their field of view to capture more information, and the training helps them be more successful at doing that. It's a retrainable skill."

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Want to stay young in mind and body? Develop these lifelong habits.

Who doesn't wish for a fountain of youth? Magical youth-restoring springs exist only in legend, but science does point to a few simple, healthy habits that can help extend your life.

Heather Whitson, MD, MHS, assistant professor of medicine (geriatrics) and ophthalmology at Duke University School of Medicine, shares the most effective tips.

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Don't slow down. "Exercise and physical activity is where the strongest evidence lies, not just for reducing mortality, but also for across-the-board health benefits," Whitson says. She ticks off exercise's advantages: fewer heart risks, improved sleep and memory, less depression and pain, better bone strength, and fewer falls.

What kind of fitness is best? "If you're only able to do one kind of exercise, aerobic exercise is what you want to do," she says. In other words, walk briskly, ride a stationary bike, or take a dance class. Even better, alternate aerobics with strength and flexibility training for a well-rounded program.

Go Mediterranean. With its emphasis on fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, the Mediterranean diet has some solid evidence to show it can help you live longer. One study found that, compared with a low-fat diet, the Mediterranean way of eating can cut the risk of life-threatening heart attacks and strokes by 30%.

Stay connected. As family moves away and friends move on, you can lose touch and get isolated. Loneliness isn't just a state of mind. It takes a toll on the body, too. One study linked loneliness with a 45% increased risk of death. "The more connectedness people have, the better outcomes they have," Whitson says. Build a support network through your doctor, community center, or religious organization. Learn to use social networking web sites like Facebook and voice/imaging technologies such as Skype.

No butts. Whether heart disease, lung disease, or cancer eventually develops, a smoker's life will be cut short by roughly 13 to 14 years. It takes an average of seven attempts to ditch the habit for good. "Just because you've tried in the past doesn't mean you're incapable of quitting. It just means you're closer to the time when you succeed," Whitson says.

The Mediterranean diet has been linked to better heart health and greater longevity. Whitson recommends it to her patients.

Ban butter. Switch to unsaturated olive oil for cooking, and use olive oil for salad dressings. Vegetable oils such as canola and grape seed are also healthy.

Switch to fish. Twice a week, substitute a serving of salmon, herring, or albacore tuna for red meat.

Load up on veggies. Leave more room on your plate for vegetables like broccoli, kale, carrots, and tomatoes. Grill or steam them, or serve them raw, instead of frying.

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