When the drugs no longer have any effect, the video games may be effective in combating depression in seniors. This method was analyzed by American researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. In a study published by the journal NatureCommunicationsthey explain that they observed beneficial effects in 11 patients aged 60 to 89 suffering from severe depression.
While no medicine had any effect on these patients, the researchers tried to treat them by also acting on their disorders of the executive functionoften associated with severe drug-resistant depression.
A biological disease of the brain
The authors of the study have developed two video games. The first, which stimulates theWarning and precision, is based on a principle of balls moving on the screen. The player must press a button each time they change color. The second requires you to quickly classify words into different categories, working on speed and accuracy.
After four weeks, the researchers observed positive results, compared to an average of 12 weeks for conventional drugs. Larger clinical trials will be needed to confirm these results. The use of drugs remains essential, however, according to scientists. “Depression is a serious, sometimes life-threatening illness. It’s a biological disease of the brain, like other illnesses, and it needs to be treated.”
