Episodic Memory Improved by Gamified Cognitive Training

Cognitive training using an iPad memory game was found to improve episodic memory among patients with mild cognitive impairment, according to a recent study.

The randomized controlled trial included 42 patients diagnosed with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Twenty-one patients were assigned to 8 hours of playing a novel memory game specifically designed to be fun, motivational, easy to understand, and suitable for an older adult population (“Game Show”) on an iPad for 4 weeks, and 21 patients were assigned to standard care.
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Patients who played Game Show were challenged to associate difference geometric patterns with different spatial locations in order to win gold coins. Rounds were continued until completion or until 6 attempts were made. The number of patterns presented to the player was titrated depending on the person’s performance to keep users motivated and engaged.

Cognitive performance was assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Paired Associates Learning task, Mini-Mental State Examination, Brief Visuospatial Memory Test, and the Apathy Evaluation Scale.

During follow-up, patients assigned to the memory game made significantly fewer errors and needed fewer trials at the second and third pattern stage of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Paired Associates Learning task compared with the control group. Likewise, participants in the cognitive training group had significantly improved first trial memory scores compared with those in the control group.

In addition, there were significant differences between groups on the Mini-Mental Health Examination, the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test, and the Apathy Evaluation Scale. Within-group comparisons of patients who played the iPad game showed highly specific effects of cognitive training on episodic memory.

All patients assigned to the cognitive training group completed every hour of gameplay, and reported high levels of enjoyment and motivation. Additionally, self-confidence and self-reported memory ability improved over time.

“Gamification maximizes engagement with cognitive training by increasing motivation and could complement pharmacological treatments for amnestic mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer’s disease,” the researchers concluded. “Larger, more controlled trials are needed to replicate and extend these findings.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Savulich G, Piercy T, Fox C, et al. Cognitive training using a novel memory game on an iPad in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment [published online July 2, 2017]. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyx040.