Division of Neuroergonomics

There is great current interest in developing and evaluating tools for maintaining and improving cognitive health in advancing age. this interest arises from concerns for maintaining the aging population's well being and quality of life across ever-increasing modern life spans. Mental exercises from traditional tasks such as crossword puzzles, chess, and learning new languages produce cognitive training effects, but not protect meaningfully against age-related cognitive decline. Recreational video games may improve cognitive health and performance abilities in players with a variety of education, lifestyle, and health backgrounds, including recreational users of all ages. These entertaining games offer another potential countermeasure to age-related cognitive decline. This possibility greatly widens the demographic profiles for potential gamers and is a topic that raises a series of questions for further investigation. Determining which aspects of interactive video games improve cognition and performance in real world tasks is essential to the design of future games and gaming platforms for both traditional younger users and for several new groups of non-traditional older gamers. Success in this research area would strengthen the case for gaming as a gainful leisure activity that benefits public health.

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