New research conducted at the Pacific Brain Health Center in Santa Monica, California, has found that the VR-enabled workouts can improve cognitive abilities in seniors and prevent dementia. The data shows that physical activity combined with psychologically mentally-stimulating visual elements provides higher cognitive benefits than exercise alone. The early findings also suggest that exergaming, or gamercising as it is called, generally improves seniors' quality of life.
- As part of the study, seniors at the Pacific Brain Health Center used standing or sitting exercise machines alongside 2D tablets or 3D VR headsets instead of working out at traditional gyms. The results revealed that the process of “dual-tasking” ultimately offered far more cognitive benefits than exercise alone.
- According to Cay Anderson-Hanley, a neurologist and associate professor at the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Union College in New York, VR workouts prevented some seniors from moving into nursing homes.
Key Stats: More than 6 million people in the U.S. live with Alzheimer’s. The disease currently has no cure. The findings in the research are not an end-all to Alzheimer’s but are a major step in figuring out how to slow down the disease.
