OK, Let's Hear It For Video Games
Imagine this. Video games are good for something. A new study says, aging's effects on the brain. According to Brenda Goodman at webmd.com, it's not just any video game, it's a specially designed video game that may help "sharpen mental skills that fade with age, a new study shows." The game, called NeuroRacer, requires players to multitask, or juggle several things that require attention at the same time. (Should we count out men? Sorry, guys!) "People had to keep a car centered in its lane and moving at a certain speed while they also tried to quickly and correctly identify signs that flashed onto the screen, distracting them from their driving," as Goodman describes the game. She notes that other studies have found that the ability to multitask degrades with age (my husband hasn't been able to tie his sneakers and shut the door at the same time since his 30s!). But seniors who regularly played NeuroRacer kept up, and could even o...