Train your Brain with a Video Game
Researcher
Jamie Morrison
Principal Investigator
Dr. Brian Christie
Institution
University of Victoria
Grant Type
Impact Grant
Disorder
Traumatic Brain Injury
About the researcher
Jamie Morrison
Undergraduate Student at the University of Victoria
The impact
Brain injury is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. It can result in physical, cognitive, emotional, and social impairments, yet unfortunately accessible and effective treatment options are lacking for survivors. Collaborating with the Victoria Brain Injury Society, this project studied the implementation of a free cognitive training program (a video game!) for brain injury survivors. Understanding the best ways to offer cognitive training to survivors in a real-world setting can help such non-invasive treatment options become more mainstream. Its just a bonus that the solution could be a video game called NeuroTracker.
The study
This project specifically studied the implementation of a cognitive training program with the goal of evaluating participant feedback to best adapt the program moving forward. They hypothesized that following 5 weeks of the program participants would have reduced brain injury related symptoms and improved quality of life. They also proposed that this project would provide valuable insights into the appropriateness, acceptability, and feasibility of the program. And they found just that! A reduction in symptom severity and improved quality of life after just 5 weeks of brain-training was shown! Who knew you could heal your brain while also having fun?
What's next?
This project proved that offering a cognitive training program to brain injury survivors is appropriate, acceptable, and feasible! The next steps are to further examine how the benefits of NeuroTracker cognitive training translate to real life. In a future project, these researchers plan to investigate the effect of a NeuroTracker intervention on blood biomarkers of oxidative stress in brain injury survivors. Commercialization, or otherwise making the NeuroTracker more available to more brain injury survivors could improve their outcomes and quality of life.
