Video Games May Really Train the Aging Mind

2008-12-25 02:04:02 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - News, Technology)

Research suggests playing video games can help sharpen brain skills that may dwindle with age.

Wired PR News.com – Video games are increasingly earning a reputation for being something not just for kids anymore. As reported by PC World, the entertainment devices have been shown to enhance brain function of aging minds, improving test scores for memorization, reasoning, and various other cognitive tasks.

The new study tested adults by having them play the video game “Rise of Nations” for one month. Forty individuals were involved in the study with half being assigned to play the game and the remainder not assigned any game to play at all. Those who participated in playing the game were shown to have improved cognitive functioning at the end of the test period. The test subjects were all in their 60s or 70s.

As noted in the report, some state other studies have been published that match the findings of this one, but more research is needed in the field for determining long-term effects of video game play.

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