Online Games for Maintaining Cognitive Function in Older Adults

By Makena Wood, B.Sc. Neuroscience student

If you’re familiar with Building Brains Together, you know that we encourage play as a tool for supporting brain development and executive function across the lifespan. In the early years and throughout adolescence, this is about providing the foundations for healthy brains and effective executive function (skills like working memory, cognitive flexibility, and behavioural inhibition). In later years, continuing to play is about preventing cognitive decline and preserving the skills that have been built through the lifespan. When we facilitate playful activity in the community (for example, any of our summer tent events, our outdoor play program in partnership with Lethbridge Housing Authority, or our Brain Knowledge Mornings at NordBridge and LSCO), we do so with group games and physical materials. Despite this, a frequent question we encounter concerns the value of online games. Online games, generally, fit the criteria for play; they can be enjoyable, challenging, and a few offer a version of social connection with others. Additionally, they can be a convenient way to play with today’s ease of access to technology. But is there a difference between digital play and play in real life? This blog will discuss the value of online games for older adults as a tool for preserving cognitive function with age.

Online games research (the benefits)

A meta-analysis by Toril et al. (2014) was able to summarize much of the research on what is called “video game training” to improve cognition in older adults. Their analysis concluded that video game training successfully enhances many aspects of cognitive functions in older adults, and they recommend its use as an intervention to age-related cognitive decline. The cognitive processes they investigated were memory, attention, reaction time, cognitive function, and executive functions, and all were improved to some extent with video game training across the different studies they analyzed. While the average older adult likely isn’t following the experimental regimen laid out by many of the experiments in Toril et al.’s analysis, it certainly shows that online games can have a positive effect on cognition and thus we can recommend them as a way to play.

Interestingly, Toril et al. also distinguished between “simple” games, “complex” games, and “brain training” games in their study, and found that there was no advantage between the types, but that they trained different skills. Simple games were games like Pac-Man, Complex games were games that engaged perceptual and cognitive skills (like Tetris), and Brain training games were games that were specifically designed to improve cognitive function (like Big Brain Academy). Simple games helped to improve speed of processing, but not cognition or executive functions as Complex and Brain training games were able to.

 Drawbacks of online play (what to consider)

While research has shown that online games can have benefits, there are some important considerations when choosing online play over other types of play. Mainly, there are 2 important aspects of play that may be missing from online play.

1.      Social connection: Since online games are typically done on a personal device and individually, this means that social connection is probably lacking. Some online games can be played with friends, but this can’t effectively replace face-to-face interactions which involve monitoring others’ body language and emotions. Humans need social connection in addition to play in order to maintain healthy brains, and it is typically convenient to include those together in group play settings. Be sure to set aside time for social connection if you are choosing to engage in online play.

 2.      Physical activity: Most online games are done sitting, so an overuse of online games might contribute to other health problems that come from sedentary behaviour. If you enjoy online games, be intentional about planning times for physical activity in your day. It is recommended that you are physically active for 30mins at least 5 times per week. Alternatively, you could challenge yourself to add physical activity into your online game of choice. For example, you could play sudoku while walking on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike; this added challenge might just increase your fun! As a warning, make sure you are in a controlled environment (likely in your own home, or indoors elsewhere) if you are focusing your attention on an online game (i.e., do not play an online game while walking outdoors or exercising in other unpredictable environments).

Online game recommendations for older adults

Typically, games that target executive functions will be effective in enhancing cognition. This includes games of working memory (remembering information and manipulating this information to accomplish a goal), cognitive flexibility (problem-solving and shifting between different kinds of tasks – for example, a numbers game followed by a words game), and behavioural inhibition (practicing self-control and paying attention). Additionally, a skill that has been asked about in our Brain Knowledge Morning sessions at NordBridge and LSCO are spatial abilities (mental manipulation of objects and directional sense).

The game platforms recommended below have games to target each of these skills and can be used as a way to play to support cognition. These platforms would all be considered “Brain training games” in the analysis by Toril et al. (2014). Their study showed that other complex video games were also beneficial for enhancing cognition and executive function.

1.      Lumosity (app) https://app.lumosity.com/games

 2.      Elevate (app) https://elevateapp.com/

 3.      happyneuron (website) https://www.happy-neuron.com/

4.      brainhq (website) https://v4.brainhq.com/#

5.      MentalUp (website and app) https://www.mentalup.co/blog/free-brain-games-for-seniors

Remember, playing at a threshold where the task is challenging but not impossible is important for maintaining and improving cognitive abilities. Another benefit to many of these game platforms is that they keep track of your progress and ability level across many different types of skills and have algorithms to challenge you appropriately. You should try to avoid playing the same game over and over simply because you’re good at it!

What about my current online games?

Online games like Wordle, Sudoku, Words with Friends, Solitaire, and many others are popular because they are short, simple, and their users are usually very skilled at their game of choice because they play it every day. While these games certainly have cognitive components and should definitely be played if they offer fun and enjoyment, they shouldn’t be relied on as a sole source of play because they don’t offer the play “threshold” as described above. Try adding games from one of the above platforms into your daily routine with your familiar games.

Online games aren’t for me… what do I do?

If online games aren’t your thing, then there are plenty of alternative ways to play that will also be able to support your cognitive function. Engaging in meaningful play has to do with both enjoyment and challenge, and ideally with social connection. Finding a group of people you enjoy playing with can make achieving these criteria easy, and BBT’s older adult curriculum is available to help support you! Sign up for our older adult curriculum under the ‘Older Adults’ section of the resources tab on our website (https://www.buildingbrains.ca/oa-sign-up).

Alternatively, if group play isn’t for you either, then finding individual ways to play can support your cognitive function as well. Many older adults in our Brain Knowledge Mornings programs like puzzles, reading, gardening, going for walks, singing or playing an instrument, knitting, or playing with pets. Importantly, be sure to always find time to include social connection in your day; this can be with family (in person or over the phone), friends, or other community members.

In conclusion, online games are a great option for cognition-enhancing play, but come with important considerations. Maintaining variety in your play is always a good idea; whether that’s including social and physical play alongside your online play, or trying something new and incorporating online play into your play routine.

For additional resources on the aging brain, visit our older adults resource tab: https://www.buildingbrains.ca/older-adults

References

Toril, P., Reales, J. M., & Ballesteros, S. (2014). Video game training enhances cognition of older adults: A meta-analytic study. Psychology and Aging, 29(3), 706–716. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037507