Video games may save your brain
May 11th 2011 21:11
Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's, in 2004.
CAPTIONNolan BushnellBy Tim Mullaney, Special for USA TODAY
A couple of generations of skeptics have fretted that video games will rot kids' brains, but a new venture backed by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell is betting that gaming can actually help seniors keep their minds nimble and stave off decline, dementia or worse.
Anti-AgingGames.com is introducing a suite of up to 30 online games today, ranging from simulations of police lineups and code-cracking to trying to remember what toppings are on a pizza, that it says may help Baby Boomers through Gen Yers improve and sustain their memory and concentration.
The games are offered as a package for $9.95 to $12.95 a month, accompanied by tips on how to sustain mental function through proper diet, exercise and social interaction. The company's founders and technical advisers say they reviewed 17,000 journal articles while preparing the product, and that 20% of the company's pretax profits will be donated to charity.
"It's have fun, stay young," said Elizabeth Amini, the 38-year-old founder and chief executive of the Los Angeles-based company, where Bushnell's son Brent is chief technology officer. "If you work out, you stay physically fit. If you work out mentally, of course it has an impact, too."
"I don't think they claim it will help everybody, but what it does is get the message out to senior citizens, who are at loose ends, that having puzzles to do online is not only entertainment but also lets them get the messages about better diet and physical activity," said McEwen, who is 73 himself.
The games will be marketed to healthy people over 35, and are not expected to have therapeutic benefits for people who already have dementia or Alzheimer's disease, said Amini, an MBA who studied cognitive science as an undergraduate. The company has no ties to insurance or drug companies and doesn't plan to accept advertising from them, she said.
Bushnell got involved because he liked Amini, who has worked as a consultant for some of Bushnell's earlier ventures, and because his son is working for the company, he said.
"I've always been interested in the benefits of game play," said Bushnell, 68. "We know different ways they can help people with problem solving and creativity. They have a tremendous power to provide structure and context, and it turns out there are a lot of therapeutic benefits."
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Comment by Wilson Pon
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Woot, this article giving us the solid reason to play more video games, I supposed lol
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