Research conducted at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine suggests that "exergames" – entertaining video games that combine game play with exercise can improve the symptoms of subsyndromal depression (SSD) in seniors. In a pilot study, researchers found that use of exergames significantly improved mood and mental health-related quality of life in older adults with SSD. The study appears in the March issue of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
In the study, 19 participants with SSD ranging in age from 63 to 94 played an exergame on the Nintendo Wii video game system during 35-minute sessions, three times a week. After some initial instruction, they chose one of the five Nintendo Wii Sports games to play on their own – tennis, bowling, baseball, golf or boxing.
Using the Wii remote – a wireless device with motion-sensing capabilities – the seniors used their arm and body movements to simulate actions engaged in playing the actual sport, such as swinging the Wii remote like a tennis racket. The participants reported high satisfaction and rated the exergames on various attributes including enjoyment, mental effort, and physical limitations.
"The study suggests encouraging results from the use of the exergames," said Dilip V. Jeste, MD, professor of psychiatry and neurosciences at UCSD School of Medicine. "More than one-third of the participants had a 50-percent or greater reduction of depressive symptoms. Many had a significant improvement in their mental health-related quality of life and increased cognitive stimulation."
Jeste said feedback revealed some participants started the study feeling nervous about how they would perform in the exergames and the technical aspects of game play.
However, by the end of the study, most participants reported that learning and playing the videogames was satisfying and enjoyable.
"The participants thought the exergames were fun, they felt challenged to do better and saw progress in their game play," Jeste said. "Having a high level of enjoyment and satisfaction, and a choice among activities, exergames may lead to sustained exercise in older adults." He cautioned, however, that the findings were based on a small study, and needed to be replicated in larger samples using control groups. He also stressed that exergames carry potential risks of injury, and should be practiced with appropriate care.
Citation: Rosenberg et al., 'Exergames for Subsyndromal Depression in Older Adults: A Pilot Study of a Novel Intervention', American Journal of Geriatric Psych. March 2010 18(3):221-226, doi: 10.1097/JGP.0b013e3181c534b5
