Thanks to advances in research, doctors introduce new treatments for cognitive disorders every year. Although many of these treatments – especially for disorders such as ADHD – require medication, a new treatment could get rid of the necessity of pills altogether.
What's this daring new treatment? It's called video games.
Yes, that's right — video games as treatment for cognitive disorders could someday replace the need for medication.
At least that's the hope of a team of neuroscientists and game developers who created a game called Project Evo. And these developers are serious: the game is currently in clinical trials with the intent of submitting it to the Food and Drug Administration for approval as an alternative to ADHD medication.
Project Evo uses cognitive skills required for multitasking to help people with ADHD learn to improve their attention spans and ignore distractions.
"The qualities of a good video game, things that hook you, what makes the brain – snap – engage and go, could be a perfect vessel for actually delivering medicine," said Matt Omernick, executive creative director at Akili, the company behind Project Evo, to NPR.
Of course, getting a game through the FDA process could mean that it will be years before it's on the market — but that also means that doctors could prescribe games to patients as an alternative to prescribing drugs. Also, if a video game becomes a prescribed therapy, that would make those games a covered expense under patients' health insurance plans.
Interestingly enough, many health insurance providers are for the use of video games as medicine.
"When you look at the percentage of individuals that are playing video games [59 percent] and overlay that with the percentage of individuals that have chronic conditions or need some assistance from the medical perspective [45 percent], the relationship is pretty strong," said Willis Gee of health insurer Cigna.
Drug companies are also paying attention. Project Evo has an unlikely partner in drug manufacturer Pfizer, which believes that the game can also help diagnose Alzheimer's disease, along with helping the company in simplifying drug trials.
Obviously, video games replacing actual medication makes sense with children under certain circumstances: many parents are already uncomfortable with using drugs to treat cognitive disorders in their kids. Also, having games – something perceived of as fun – for children could make treatment more effective.
Of course, video games in place of pills also has its detractors. First, medication with ADHD is understood to be 70 to 90 percent effective in children: can a game provide that kind of success? Secondly, how many game developers would take their games through the process of FDA approval?
Once the first game receives FDA approval, we may have answers to these questions. Until then, here's hoping game developers and the mental health industry continue working together on new solutions to ongoing problems.
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
