Playing WoW Improves Brain Power

[LongBlade]

A new study has been released that indicates older adults who play World of Warcraft can improve their cognitive ability.

The study included 39 people between the ages of 60 and 77. At the start, participants took a series of tests, measuring their vocabulary, spatial skills, memory and ability to focus. They were retested two weeks later.

The 20 people assigned to play the game attended a training session, where the rules of "World of Warcraft" were explained. They were told to play the game for about an hour a day at home.

After two weeks, those who played the game saw more improvement in their ability to control their attention compared with those who hadn't played the game.

The researchers also found that among participants who played the game, those who had scored the lowest at the study's start on the attention test and spatial abilities test improved the most.

I added the bold.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/02/25/gaming-grannies-world-warcraft-boosts-cognitive-abilities/

[Epee1]

NOOOOOOO, I don't want to play WOW!

Isn't there a wargame that helps keep you mind sharp?  From what I understood about chess it was one of the few games that improved your IQ.  I like chess. 

Please tell me there is something else besides WOW?  Don't tell me it's a Ken and Barbie game either.

Of course I don't like playing WITP either.   :o

[jomni]

Play FPS

[Steelgrave]

Considering some of the things you hear while playing WoW, I have to wonder just how damn stupid some of those people were before starting to play.......

Annndddd......I missed the "older people" part....sigh!

Maybe I ended my WoW subscription too soon...... :-\

[LongBlade]

NOOOOOOO, I don't want to play WOW!

Isn't there a wargame that helps keep you mind sharp?  From what I understood about chess it was one of the few games that improved your IQ.  I like chess. 

Please tell me there is something else besides WOW?  Don't tell me it's a Ken and Barbie game either.

Of course I don't like playing WITP either.   :o

If you read into the article you'll see that the exposure to new challenges and the use of brain power to overcome them are the salient parts of its success.

The only significant difference is that WoW is woven into a continuous universe, whereas wargames, while they do have campaigns, usually have distinct scenarios.

However, my intuition tells me that the same process applies - if you game nightly for an hour or so you'll likely derive the same benefits.

Keep in mind also that those who started with the lowest function benefitted the greatest. Those of us who are on the far right of IQ's bell curve will derive benefit, but not quite as much.

Until we get old and senile like Steelie, in which case we'll start to get more benefits.

[Nefaro]

NOOOOOOO, I don't want to play WOW!

Isn't there a wargame that helps keep you mind sharp?  From what I understood about chess it was one of the few games that improved your IQ.  I like chess. 

Please tell me there is something else besides WOW?  Don't tell me it's a Ken and Barbie game either.

Of course I don't like playing WITP either.   :o

Using your brain for games at an old age, in general, will help keep you sharp.  Any Alzheimer's doc will tell you this.  ;)

[Staggerwing]

My dad play piano when ever he can. He feels that playing music is why so many artists who haven't killed themselves
with bad lifestyle habits first instead live to be savvy old characters.

[Epee1]

Good, I play the piano.  Maybe I'm safe.  I take tons of fish oil too.  8)