- Researchers just recently performed a research study to see how playing various kinds of computer game effects memory abilities in both younger and older grownups.
- They compared how well they carried out at specific tasks that checked both their working memory and capability to disregard interruptions to what kinds of computer game the individuals reported playing.
- They discovered that older grownups who play digital puzzle video games had much better concentration capabilities compared to older grownups who either do not play digital video games or play a various kind of video game.
- Alternatively, younger grownups who reported playing method video games had an exceptional working memory compared to those who did not report any history of playing video games.
When individuals grow older, it is not unusual for them to experience problems with memory, especially with working memory.
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For example, when somebody offers directions to finish a task, the individual would count on their working memory to keep the directions in mind for the duration of the task.
Researchers frequently check out approaches of enhancing memory abilities, and one often-researched location consists of video gaming.
Scientists from the University of York, England believed that the kind of computer game individuals play might affect working memory and individuals’s capability to disregard interruptions.
They saw higher efficiency in older grownups who played digital puzzle video games and younger grownups who played method video games.
The scientists released their findings in the journal Heliyon.
Since aging has a negative influence on working memory, the scientists in this research study wished to test whether specific kinds of video games are gotten in touch with enhancements in memory amongst younger and older grownups.
The scientists examined information from 482 individuals for the research study. The bulk of the individuals (297) were women. The individuals’ ages varied from 18 to 81, and the researchers put them in either the younger adult group (ages 18–30) or the older adult group (ages 60–81).
The individuals reported their video gaming routines and consisted of information such as how frequently they played digital video games, the kind of video games they played, and just how much time they invested playing. The scientists counted all digital video games, consisting of game, PC, console, and mobile video games.
Another element the individuals needed to report on was when they began playing computer game — such as throughout the previous year, years, and so on.
The scientists even more divided the younger and older groups into either a non-player classification or classifications based upon the video gaming type they reported playing mainly—action, method, or puzzle.
Assessing working memory
The next thing the individuals needed to do was total an online working memory evaluation. The evaluation looked for the list below conditions:
- no interruption
- encoding interruption
- hold-up interruption
The “no distraction” part of the evaluation determined how well the individuals might keep in mind the area of red circles that appeared on a grid for a brief quantity of time. After briefly revealing the red circles, the grid went blank, and the individuals needed to keep in mind where the red circles appeared.
With the “encoding distraction” element, the scientists examined this by revealing both red and yellow circles on the evaluation. The individuals needed to concentrate on the area of the red circles just and remember the area on the blank grid.
The test had an additional element to look for the “delay distraction” condition. In addition to having the yellow circles, the yellow circles likewise appeared throughout a hold-up in between the red circles vanishing from the grid and completing the areas on the empty grid.
The outcomes of the information analysis revealed that older grownups who reported playing digital puzzle video games had a greater working memory capability than the older grownups who played either the other video game types or did not play video games at all.
The research study likewise revealed that older grownups who play digital puzzle video games might disregard interruptions much better than other older grownups.
“Puzzle games for older people had this surprising ability to support mental capabilities to the extent that memory and concentration levels were the same as a 20 year-olds who had not played puzzle games,” says lead research study author Dr. Joe Cutting, who operates at the University of York’s Department of Computer Science.
On the other hand, younger grownups who played method video games revealed a higher working memory capability compared to young people who played action video games.
This came as a little bit of a surprise to the scientists since with previous research study, “playing action games has been associated with superior performance in various measures of attention, perception, and executive function.”
However, breaking down aspects in the video games to see whether they have simply action or method aspects revealed that method video games had the upper hand in regards to working memory in younger grownups.
“It instead seems to be the strategy elements of the games — planning and problem solving, for example — that stimulates better memory and attention in young people,” remarks author Dr. Fiona McNab, from the University of York’s Department of Psychology.
“We don’t see this same effect in older adults, however, and more research is needed to understand why this is,” she includes.
Dr. Rehan Aziz, a geriatric psychiatrist at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey, spoke with Medical News Today about the research study.
“This is a very interesting study in that it looked at the effects of different types of video games, including puzzle, strategy, and action, on working memory,” he said.
Dr. Aziz discussed working memory prior to introducing into his impressions of the research study.
“Working memory is one of our most complex memory systems. We use it when we are using memories or experiences that we are holding in our heads for everyday tasks, like mental math, following instructions, problem-solving, learning, and other things,” he explained.
Dr. Aziz was shocked that method and action video games had no advantages for older grownups.
“The striking aspect of this study was its finding that among older adults, there was greater working memory capacity for people who played puzzle games, but not strategy or action games, compared to people who did not play any video games,” he said.
Dr. Aziz suggests aerobic workouts, preserving social connections, and doing activities that promote the brain (such as sudoku, crossword puzzles, and reading) for older grownups worried about amnesia.
Dr. Stella Panos, a neuropsychologist and director of neuropsychology at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California, likewise talked to MNT. She stressed that more research study is required prior to drawing any conclusive conclusions.
“It is important to note that this study is an observational study and does not necessarily mean that game playing leads to better working. It may be that game preference varies by cognitive ability and age.”
— Dr. Stella Panos
