Specialized video games could protect older people from dementia, according to new research with help from the Grateful Dead. One game was developed with the help of the drummer of the legendary sixties band, the Grateful Dead, Mickey Hart. The Grateful Dead were formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. They remained active until 1995. Their loyal fans are known as Dead Heads.
Prof. Gazzaley is the founder and director of Neuroscape, which has been developing advanced brain technologies for a decade. The games recreate specific activities such as driving, exercising or learning a musical instrument. Each game retrains mental processes that deteriorate with age – including attention and memory. As we age, our attention slows down, along with our ability to react. This becomes more evident when we reach our late 60s. We forget the names of people, especially those we meet only occasionally. We go to a grocery store but can’t remember some of the things we want to buy.
