Videogame Improves Cognition in People with MS
July 21, 2020
Treatment with an interactive videogame for six weeks improved thinking (processing) speed significantly in a trial involving 44 people with MS and mild or moderate disability. Improvements were maintained by most participants eight weeks later. A comparison group using a computerized word game also improved in processing speed, but improvements were less significant and were not maintained by most individuals. A larger clinical trial is planned, based on these positive results.
- Changes in cognitive function are common in MS. Cognition refers to a range of high-level brain functions including information processing (dealing with information gathered by the five senses), processing speed, and memory (acquiring, retaining and retrieving new information).
- AKL-T03, the videogame intervention tested in this study, is an investigational software that engages individuals in sensory and motor tasks. The game automatically adjusts for a personalized treatment experience tailored to each individual. The game used as a control (AKL-T09) involves connecting letters on a grid to spell as many words as possible.
- The interventions used in this study were developed by Akili Interactive Labs, Inc. In June, Akili’s EndeavorTM became the first game-based therapeutic granted marketing authorization by the FDA for any type of condition, when it was approved to increase attention in children with ADHD. Endeavor is being tested in a small study in children with MS, to determine if it can treat cognitive impairments.
- This research was supported by an unrestricted grant from Akili Interactive, and the company provided the games without charge for the study.
“A novel in-home digital treatment to improve processing speed in people with multiple sclerosis: A pilot study” by Riley Bove, MD (University of California, San Francisco) and colleagues, was published June 25, 2020 in the
MS Journal.