Do you enjoy playing video games? If so, it may surprise you to learn that video games have shown promise for helping improve the attention spans of people who have sustained traumatic brain injuries. Brain injury rehabilitation could one day include playing popular video games!

Researchers at Macquarie University in Australia claim first-person shooter games (the Call of Duty or Battlefield series are examples) can be used to help brain injury patients. The study required participants with brain injuries to play first-person shooters so researchers could observe changes in cognitive ability. Keep in mind, that the participants used in the study had attention span deficits that made performing daily tasks difficult.

Participants not only became better at first-person shooters; they also improved their speed for carrying out daily tasks. This is because video games require players to develop strategies and pay attention to win. The study raises some important questions. Could video game genres that focus specifically on strategy be even more effective during brain injury rehabilitation? Real-time strategy games (like StarCraft or Rise of Nations) could be studied to see if participants achieved even better results.

Can Brain Injury Rehabilitation Include Fun Activities?

Why is this study important? Many people who have sustained traumatic brain injuries are young men and women. Sports-related brain injuries are increasingly common across the nation. Football, cheerleading, soccer and water polo are all examples. Young military veterans also have high rates of brain injuries. In fact, the Department of Defense has funded studies that use video game-based therapies for treatment!

Video games are extremely popular among young men and women. Recovering from a brain injury is not a fun process. Incorporating fun activities into brain injury rehabilitation might improve the morale of young patients.