Art Dealer Gfh

A Computer Gamefor Enhancing Cognitive Control in Older Adults

Jeffrey P. Toth, Ph.D. University of North Carolina Wilmington & Minds Refined LLC

Aging & Cognitive Decline

Cognitive Training & Computer-Game Training

Art Dealer by Minds Refined LLC

Copyright 2006 Minds Refined LLC. All Rights Reserved

Cognitive Aging in the U.S.A.


Source: Salthouse (2004)

'Age-related declines are large, begin early in life, are evident in many cognitive abilities, and show little increase in between-person variability.'

Automatic Processes

Cognitive Control

Processes

Age-related Cognitive Decline


Research Targeting Cognitive Control:

Working memory(Klingberg et al.)

Conscious Recollection

(Jennings & Jacoby)

Relaxation, Edu., Mnemonics, Cognitive Drills, etc.

Small effects, limited transfer.

Large effects, extensive transfer.

Attentional Control(Gopher et al.; Kramer et al.)

Can Cognitive Exercise Slow Age-Related Decline?

Early Research:


Can We Make Cognitive-Control Training Fun?

Potential benefits of Computer Game Training

Increased motivation playing, not training.

Decreased anxiety stealth training.

Increase adherence to the "training" program.

Play-at-home training - more inclusive.

Inexpensive.


Small Effects, Limited Transfer

Drew & Waters (1986).

Clark et al. (1987).

Results: Faster RTs, but little or no effects

on Stroop, Trails-B,

WM or LTM.

Dustman et al. (1992).

Goldstein et al. (1997).

Video Game Training: 1st-Generation Games


Video Game Training: Modern Games

Large Effects, Extensive Transfer

Extension to Older Adults?

Age-appropriate content?

Complex 3D environments. 1st-person perspective. Attention demanding. Rapid detection, response

selection, & execution. Multiple SR mappings. Goal management.


Examine use of COTS games for training cognitive control in older adults.

Embed principles of cognitive-control training into games with age-appropriate themes.

Characteristics of Cognitive Control Training

Train under conditions of interference.

Require inhibition of automatic responses.

Change stimuli to avoid build-up of SR associations.

Increase difficulty gradually, based on performance.

Give immediate, hierarchical feedback.

Can Video Games Slow Cognitive Aging?


Art Dealer is based on the Avoiding-Repetitions,

Incremented-Difficulty Training Procedure developed by

Jennings & Jacoby (2003)


Art Dealer Training Study - ResultsFigure 1. Lag Levels Achieved Across Game Rounds

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Game Round

Lag

Lev

el

T1*T2*T3T4T5T6*T7T8*T9T10T11Mean

* no repeated lag levels

Lags

16 & 32

10 & 24

8 & 16

6 & 12

4 & 8

3 & 6

2 & 4

1 & 2

False Alarms to 1st and 2nd Presentations ofLures ('Forgeries') Across Game Rounds

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Game Rounds

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po

rtio

n 'B

uy'

(F

alse

Ala

rms)

1st Presentation of Lures2nd Presentation of Lures

Performance Change from Pre- to Post-Test:Near Transfer - Recognition Hits & Accuracy

-0.08

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core

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TrainingControl

Hits* Hits-FAs* Hits* Hits-FAs^

Paintings Words* p < .05; ^ p < .075

Performance Change from Pre- to Post-Test:Far Transfer Measures

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Criterion Measure

Ch

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core

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ost

min

us P

re)

Training

Control

Raven'sOspan-Rel.**

Ospan-Abs.**Lett.Comp.^

Patt.Comp.**PA-Delay *

PA-Imm.

** p < .01; * p < .05; ^ p < .075


Perhaps. Art Dealer produced notable gains (~10%) on a number of measures associated with cognitive control (speed, working memory, LTM) and generalized beyond the specific stimuli and procedures used in the game.

Can Cognitive Exercise Slow Age-Related Decline?

Fun to play? "Yes" (10 of 11 participants)

Did it feel like a game or a memory test?

"A Game" (10 of 11 participants)

"Fun, challenging, & educational. A great invention!"

Can We Make Cognitive-Control Training Fun?


Theoretical

Maximizing Training & Generalization.

Understand the Role of Motivation.

Unity or Diversity of Cognitive Control?

Training by Gaming - Future Directions

Crazy Shopper (Attentional Control).

Application

Art Dealer 2.0 (LTM).

Trivia Poker (WM).


Mind Refined LLC - Business Model

Value Proposition Target Cognitive Control. Produce games that are compelling, affordable, & efficacious.

Marketing & Sales Market directly to older adults & senior centers; word of mouth.

Business Strategy Tightly link product to research (evidence-based games).

Market Segment Initial focus on Older Adults (55+) (under rep'ed in VG industry).

Internet sales (CD-ROM); plans for web-based play.

Anyone concerned with mental fitness or specific game content.


Acknowledgements

The Art Dealer study was partially supported by a grant from the NIA to

Larry Jacoby (Wash U) and benefited from theoretical input from Karen Daniels

(UNCW) and graphic magic from Cindi Toth (WebFresco).

"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing"


Effortful.

Mundane tasks & materials Low Motivation.

Training & testing cognition High Anxiety.

Expensive for both trainers and trainees.

Training specific skills or abstract processes?

Training one or more forms of cognitive control?

What are the best ways to implement training?

Individual differences in responsiveness to training.

Limitations of Lab-based Cognitive Training

Applied LimitationsTheoretical Limitations


2 Groups: Game Play vs. No-Contact Control.

Pre-Training/Post-Training Design.

Criterion Measures Recognition Memory for Paintings.

Recognition Memory for Words.

Recall of Paired-Associates (Immediate and Delayed).

Cognitive Speed: Letter- & Pattern-Comparison.

Working Memory: Operation-Span.

Reasoning: Raven's Progressive Matrices.

11 Participants per group (18f/4m), well matched in terms of age (~73), education (~14), self-rated health (~3.7 out of 5) and verbal knowledge (~35 on Shipley vocabulary).

Both groups assessed twice, ~ 1 week apart.

Game-Play Group given Art Dealer 1.0 & User's Guide.

Art Dealer Training Study - Design

Art Dealer Gfh

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