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Videogames help in the study of ADHD photo

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a disorder that... uh, what was I saying earlier?

Those that suffer from ADHD find it hard to focus, but those chosen to participate for one of the world's first studies to examine the effectiveness of neurofeedback in ADHD kids will have to. I think it might help that they'll be playing videogames. 

Researchers at The Ohio State University College of Medicine have put together a study that puts ADHD kids in front of a videogame. The study measures the child’s brain waves while playing, according to the press release.

As they begin to lose focus and their brain slows down, the kids will also start failing in the games they're playing. If they regain focus, their brains speed up. This study is set up to measure their brain activity and trigger a change in the game's control if they lose focus. The sensitivity of the controls will change based on brain activity.  Talk about mind games!

Researchers are hoping that this will lead to an alternative to ADHD meds in the future.


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14 comments | showing # 1 to 14

Dale North's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 11:27
Dale North
MotoRobo - yeah, its wierd. They go all lack-of-focusey, and then get hyper, and then spacey.

And I'm there with the chickenpox thing. Koei's Nobunga's Ambition kept me from itching.
eternalplayer2345's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 12:04
eternalplayer2345
Anyone else think the changing sensitivity will only serve to deter their attention faster not to mention frustrate.
ninjikiran's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 13:01
ninjikiran
@MotoRobo that is 100% true, much of ADD is due to you not being motivated by the task at hand, being bored rather. It is not a disorder at all. They say its a disorder because its not "normal" for our society then they drug the kid up to make him or her "normal". This leads to depression~ since your being molded into something you might not be.

Give a kid with ADD/ADHD something that they are interested in (like if they enjoy painting) and you will see how fast that disorder disappears.
Superfluous Moniker's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 13:28
Superfluous Moniker
The loss of focus thing interests me, as I wonder if these same brain waves might be associated with being 'in the zone'. Wonder if they've tried something like watching the brain waves as people play and seeing how levels of concentration correlate with mistakes made in the game, especially in something they've played before, etc.

But it seems their aim is more to give kids practice focusing on something and less creating a race of super gamers. Too bad.
RonBurgandy2010's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 14:43
RonBurgandy2010
I have ADHD (pretty bad I might add) and I have to take pill ,72 mg (that's a lot),every day before school to help me concentrate. But for some reason, games never gave me a problem. In fact, anything I enjoy is easy to do un-medicated.
The Amazing Shenazin's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 15:39
The Amazing Shenazin
I have ADHD too

and Ninjikiran: I'm afraid that's not true
Projectexodus's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 15:42
Projectexodus
Lets not forget that many people who have been diagnosed with ADHD/ADD might have had an issue with anxiety instead (like i did).

Videogames might help people keep their minds of their anxieties by the way.
Mystic Violet's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 16:27
Mystic Violet
@ninjikiran

Sorry, but you've got it all wrong. That's the typical "I have no idea what ADD/ADHD is and assume it's a bunch of bored school kids." People with ADD/ADHD have a wide variety of symptoms that affects a person's focus, emotions, memory, effort, activity and actions. It just doesn't boil down to "lack of willpower."

Oh and btw, most kids do not grow out of ADD. They continue to have symptoms well into adulthood, like myself.
savagesaladin's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 16:35
savagesaladin
Just pop a couple of adderall and you'll be good to go for up to 12 hours. But after that....
NightDehumidifier's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 20:07
NightDehumidifier
You know what they say:

"Once you go ADHD, you g- hey this is boring let's punch holes in the wall and have some Frosted Flakes."
liqideos's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/20/2008 20:30
liqideos
Have the checked the midochlorian count's on these hyper-active kids though?
zoemgs2's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/21/2008 06:48
zoemgs2
@ninjikiran, some kids who are just bored are given Adderall, and thats bad, and it should be observed and they should be taken off of it. But there are kids who have ADHD whether they like the task at hand or not. You are oversimplifying one of the most complex issues we have.
shadow1w2's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/21/2008 15:11
shadow1w2
I was diagnosed with ADD, along with every else in my generation pretty much.
Still, trouble focusing was all a matter of meditation.
Drugs never really helpd and made me a zombie.
Meditation allowed me to understand how my mind was trying to focus.
Ya gotta learn to work with the speed your brain is going at.

ADD and ADHD are just crap names for behavior that takes the right amount of discipline and care along with a dose of self understanding.

Also since when did having ADHD make you focus less on a game? It's a freaking video game, how the hell can you not focus on that?
Well, excluding the dancing monkey right beside you and his friend the squeaky hamster.
The Amazing Shenazin's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/21/2008 15:20
The Amazing Shenazin
for anyone that doesn't believe ADD and ADHD are real: seriously, read a book
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