This video game can detect early stages of Alzheimer's better than medical tests, researchers say

[Alvin]

Just a few minutes of playing a certain video game could help identify the earliest stages of Alzheimer's in ways existing medical tests can't, researchers have found.

A new study used a smartphone app called Sea Hero Quest to monitor how gamers with and without a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's navigate the virtual world, using their thumbs to move a little boat through a series of maritime mazes.

This type of test was key because "spatial navigation is emerging as a critical factor in identifying preclinical Alzheimer's disease," authors of the study, just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/27/health/video-game-alzheimers-scn-trnd/index.html

 

[Wonko]

So it's okay for the older end of the population but Defender and it's ilk rotted kids brains and led to delinquency and even crime?

Yes, some of us have memories as to what the media said over a longer period than 10 minutes ago.

Although what happened 10 minutes ago is a bit........my memory of the digital stone age is still okay

Computer games = bad (apart from Doom obviously, as that's not a game, it's a lifestyle choice)

These things claim to be science, but science has facts in it, usually, and facts tend to be fairly constant. Temporal flip flopping would strongly suggest that these things are not in fact facts, but simply biased opinions, or maybe even lies. That they are not science.

 

[Alvin]

So it's okay for the older end of the population but Defender and it's ilk rotted kids brains and led to delinquency and even crime?

Yes, some of us have memories as to what the media said over a longer period than 10 minutes ago.

Although what happened 10 minutes ago is a bit........my memory of the digital stone age is still okay

Computer games = bad (apart from Doom obviously, as that's not a game, it's a lifestyle choice)

These things claim to be science, but science has facts in it, usually, and facts tend to be fairly constant. Temporal flip flopping would strongly suggest that these things are not in fact facts, but simply biased opinions, or maybe even lies. That they are not science.

I am not able to read the article but if they test their findings in good faith then a video game used to test a facet of memory can be scientific. It all comes down to how they validate their findings and how reproducible they are.

 

[aza]

Thanks @Alvin, at least the games are being useful...

It’s hard to tell if it’s good or bad Science without reading the article, but they do say ‘in the future’, so they are not claiming to have found a diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s Disease. I hope none of their subjects have another type of AD, Asperger’s Disorder, or their results will have serious problems. I have huge spatial issues and had a late diagnosis, as it happens to be the case with most Aspies.

 

[Mithriel]

I read once that spatial senses are one of the first things to be damaged in the brain after something like a stroke. I don't know how true it is but my spatial sense is dreadful.