BrainGames ADHD Treatment
Would you believe that Video Games can help patients suffering from Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Doctors are now experimenting with a new type of game system called Smart BrainGames, a feedback system which monitors brain waves through a hat full of sensors. The system then adjusts video game performance in order to “train†the player into emitting certain brain patterns. Dr. MacDonald explains how the feedback works:
If they don’t do the right thing, then they can’t steer and they’ll crash, and eventually, the brain will keep trying to do what it has to do to succeed in the game.â€
Doctors are looking into Video Games as an alternative to ADHD drugs such as Ritalin. In a review of supervised gaming sessions, test subjects experienced results varying from reduction of ADHD medication to being completely med-free. Changes to lifestyle, diet, and nutrition are often mandated as additional components of the treatment process. According to the Smart BrainGames website, the biofeedback system can be hooked up to the PS-1 and PS2, XBox, or a DVD-equipped PC. The PS2 version of SmartBrainGames costs $595, and that does not include the system or games. Racing or “jumping†games which feature a single controller button press are recommended.
Ritalin – a common drug used to help ADHD
