Doctors are now seeking the help of the video game industry to diagnose dementia in patients. Through a player's spatial navigation abilities, a new game will determine if a patient is experiencing the onset of dementia.
"Sea Hero Quest" puts players at sea to hunt for valuable artifacts. Users will play as a sailor who will chase and fight creatures across magical seas and swamps as he revisits several of his father's memories, BBC reported. The game can be downloaded on iTunes and Google Play for free.
Using global heat maps, scientists will track how players navigate the 3D environments as they advance through "Sea Hero Quest." A person's spatial navigation abilities belong to the first few skills lost to people affected with dementia. The game is equipped with new diagnostic tests that can detect if an individual's spatial navigation abilities are deteriorating.
Effectiveness Of 'Sea Hero Quest'
"Sea Hero Quest" was created by GLITCHERS with support from the University College London (UCL), University of East Anglia, Alzheimer's Research UK and Deutsche Telekom. Dr. Hugo Spiers, a neuroscientist at UCL, said the game acquired information 150 times faster than data generated from dementia experiments done in laboratories. In just one minute, 200 people were tested thanks to the game, BBC further reported.
The team behind "Sea Hero Quest" needs at least 100,000 people to play the game before this year ends, according to CNN. They wish to determine dementia in its early stages so individuals can receive treatment early on and prevent their condition from getting worse.
Spiers said the project also aims to recruit volunteers to play "Sea Hero Quest" while their brains are being scanned. Through neuroimaging, scientists can see and understand which parts of the brain are active while playing the game.
How Meals Help Dementia Sufferers
A study from the University of East Anglia found family-style meals greatly help people suffering from dementia. Interaction and social support during mealtimes reportedly increase nutrition, hydration and the quality of life of people with dementia, Science Daily reported.
Old people have higher chances of being malnourished and dehydrated, and individuals with dementia even have higher risks to develop those conditions. Other interventions like waitress service, playing music, singing and changing the colors of the utensils during mealtimes also help patients with dementia.
Aside from memory loss, people with dementia also suffer from difficulties in language, thinking and problem-solving skills, the Alzheimer's Society listed. Dementia occurs when the brain is damaged by illnesses including Alzheimer's disease or a succession of strokes.
