Broad print and online media coverage was given to a small study that found that video games requiring multitasking may help boost cognitive abilities in seniors. The New York Times (9/5, A14, Richtel, Subscription Publication) reports that, according to a research letter published online Sept. 4 in the journal Nature, “scientists have discovered that swerving around cars while simultaneously picking out road signs in a video game can improve the short-term memory and long-term focus of older adults.”
USA Today (9/5, Weintraub) reports that “after 12 hours of playing a road game designed to improve attention and focus, healthy people ages 60 to 79 performed as well as people” five decades younger. What’s more, six months later, “the improvements were still evident” and even “extended beyond the skills learned for the game.”
The AP (9/5, Ritter) reports that in the study, 16 healthy 60- to 85-year-old individuals “showed gains in their ability to multitask, to stay focused on a boring activity and to keep information in mind,” all cognitive powers that “normally decline with age.”
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