Video games may boost brain function, improve vision in active living seniors

Many active living seniors are looking for new ways to stimulate their brains. From eating a healthy diet to staying engaged in your community, there are plenty of ways to stay sharp. But could active living seniors strengthen their minds by playing video games?


According to AARP.org, playing a video game with interactive controllers that offer brainteasers, like Wii or Nintendo DS, could encourage new neural connections to form in the brain.

It may seem a little unexpected that video games - often associated with sedentary teenagers – might be good for active living seniors, but studies have shown that the activity may actually be beneficial to all age groups.


The University of Rochester conducted research which suggests that playing action video games can enhance a person's vision.


"We've found that action video games train the brain to process the existing visual information more efficiently, and the improvements lasted for months after game play stopped," said Daphne Bavelier, professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, quoted by the school’s website.



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