Space Fortress game training and executive control in older adults: A pilot intervention

ABSTRACT

We investigated the feasibility of using the Space Fortress (SF) game, a complex video game originally developed to study complex skill acquisition in young adults, to improve executive control processes in cognitively healthy older adults. The study protocol consisted of 36 one-hour game play sessions over 3 months with cognitive evaluations before and after, and a follow-up evaluation at 6 months. Sixty participants were randomized to one of three conditions: Emphasis Change (EC) – elders were instructed to concentrate on playing the entire game but place particular emphasis on a specific aspect of game play in each particular game; Active Control (AC) – game play with standard instructions; Passive Control (PC) – evaluation sessions without game play. Primary outcome measures were obtained from five tasks, presumably tapping executive control processes. A total of 54 older adults completed the study protocol. One measure of executive control, WAIS-III letter–number sequencing, showed improvement in performance from pre- to post-evaluations in the EC condition, but not in the other two conditions. These initial findings are modest but encouraging. Future SF interventions need to carefully consider increasing the duration and or the intensity of the intervention by providing at-home game training, reducing the motor demands of the game, and selecting appropriate outcome measures.

Keywords:

• Aging
• Cognition
• Intervention
• Executive control
• Video games

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Taub Foundation for providing support for this research. This research was also supported by T32AG00261.

Notes

¹ Parallel analyses were completed on accuracy during the set-switching task and revealed a main effect of trial type, F(2, 96) = 42514.85, p < .001. Follow-up contrasts indicated that both global, F(1, 48) = 43013.12, p <.001, and local, F(1, 48) = 61.50, p < .001, switch costs were present in accuracy.

² Parallel analyses were completed on accuracy during the flanker interference task and revealed a main effect of trial type, F(1, 51) = 66.38, p <.001, and an interaction between time of test and trial type, F(2, 102) = 3.22, p < .05. Follow-up contrast indicated that flanker interference improved in the accuracy measure from baseline to mid- and post-testing, F(1, 51) = 4.47, p <.05, but not from mid- to post-testing, F(1, 51) = 1.95 p >.05.