Can Video Games Really Help Prevent Cognitive Decline in Older Adults?

Cognitive Decline & Mobile Games

Cognitive decline is a natural part of aging—one that few would consider a perk of growing older. Claims are frequently made in advertisements for certain types of mobile games that playing them will prevent or delay this decline. Given the lower digital literacy common among older adults, it’s not unreasonable to worry about potentially predatory practices and misleading claims that could negatively affect a population so well represented in the mobile game space.

A 2023 AARP study of nearly 8,000 participants found that approximately 45% of adults over 50 play video games. Of them, 84% prefer gaming on their phone or tablet. Respondents reported that they play to pass the time, keep their minds sharp, relax, and reduce stress.

Given their numbers and potential spending power, it's reasonable to approach health claims made by game publishers with skepticism—particularly when those claims suggest that a smartphone-based matching or logic game (often monetized through in-app purchases or ads) could prevent cognitive decline. Surprisingly, however, there is some evidence that mobile games may offer positive effects for older adults. Scientifically documented benefits include improvements in attention, processing speed, reaction time, working memory, executive function, and hand-eye coordination.

As expected, the cognitive benefits vary in strength depending on the type of game and not every game has the potential to improve cognition. The most effective tend to be memory games, word games, and numerical or logic puzzles. However, how much these improvements translate into real-world functional abilities, if at all, is still being studied. So, even if grandma becomes a Tetris master, it might not mean she's ready to get back behind the wheel.

Cognitive Impairment & Therapeutic Games

Commercially available mobile games are not the only ones claiming to reduce or prevent cognitive decline. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)—defined as cognitive decline that exceeds expectations for a person’s age and education level—is associated with symptoms like reduced processing speed, memory loss, and diminished executive function. As many as 50% of individuals diagnosed with MCI go on to develop dementia, and many will progress to Alzheimer’s disease within just a few years.

Several non-pharmacologic methods, often used alongside medication, aim to slow or arrest cognitive decline in individuals with MCI. These include:

• Physical activity training

• Art therapy

• Multisensory stimulation

• Cognitive training (non-digital)

• Social engagement activities

• Music therapy

An additional non-pharmacologic approach gaining attention is video game therapy—games designed specifically to provide clinically therapeutic benefits.

Over the past 15 years or so, video games created to target specific cognitive or neurological issues have garnered increasing interest. These purpose-built, clinically developed tools—sometimes called “serious games”—have been studied in a range of conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and schizophrenia. In 2020, the FDA approved the first therapeutic video game, EndeavorRx, for treating ADHD in children, marking a major milestone in digital health.

These serious games are generally more rigorously studied and have more clearly measured benefits than their commercial counterparts. While more research is still needed, early findings on video game therapies for MCI show promise. Studies have used various gaming modalities—from virtual reality headsets and motion tracking to puzzle apps on tablets. Participants have included a range from healthy older adults to individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive functioning was assessed using standardized clinical tools.

Though the degree of impact and specific cognitive functions affected vary by study, the overall conclusion is encouraging: game-based therapies deserve consideration as part of the prevention and treatment plan for cognitive decline.

References: 

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