Video Games That Can Detect Early Onset Alzheimer’s

A video game called Sea Hero Quest has shown that players who have certain spatial orientation deficiencies may be more likely to develop early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

According to researchers in Nantes, France and East Anglia and London, England, the strategies needed to breeze through the different challenges in Sea Hero Quest mimic those used in real life to navigate cell phones, and computers, or even finding one’s way through town. Trouble navigating the game indicates there might be Alzheimer’s in a player’s future.

Using a video game like Sea Hero Quest to collect information about decision- making and cognitive function is a breakthrough in understanding the brain. Data that is normally collected by traditional experimentation methods can be analyzed more quickly and efficiently than ever before.

The brain is the most complicated organ in our bodies. Scientists and neurologists are just beginning to discover its mysteries. Cognitive diseases related to aging, like Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s and Lewey Body, are not recognized in early stages as readily as they could be.

When caught early, dementia can be treated more effectively with medication, lifestyle changes and cognition exercises. Care can be planned for more efficiently. Trained caregivers , like those from Kansas City’s Thoughtful Care, can adjust levels of care to the needs of an Alzheimer’s patient, so that he or she is able to function at a higher level.

Anticipating the progression of dementia is not a science. However, with technology like that used in developing Sea Hero Quest, science is synching up with real life. If you or a loved one has had a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s, call us at Thoughtful Care to begin creating a plan of care. We serve clients in Johnson County, Overland Park and Kansas City. We are here to help.