COVID-19: Researchers at looking if a video game can help cure ‘brain fog’ after coronavirus
For some context, a considerable number of people have complained about the difficulty in focusing after coronavirus infection. Let’s check everything we know around this research around video games and COVID-19 recovery here.
Global pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19) has drastically changed the world in the last 1 year. This includes lockdowns across the globe, travel restrictions, a changed way of living and so much more. Like most countries, India is facing the second wave of the pandemic with devastating consequences. This includes immense pressure of the neglected healthcare infrastructure across the country, new variants of the virus, and several crowded events. Besides, the pandemic has also impacted the video game industry both on the development and the consumption side. This includes multiple development delays, increased GPU and CPU demand, and unprecedented hardware component shortage.
We have also seen launches like the Cyberpunk 2077 release last year that outlined the problems with a rushed title. Beyond the obvious problems, a new report recently made its way to the internet where video games can help COVID-19. As per the report, a team of researchers is currently testing a video game that may help cure “brain fog” after the coronavirus infection. For some context, a considerable number of people have complained about the difficulty in focusing after coronavirus infection and recovery. These “brain fog”-like situations tend to stay around for weeks or even months after the recovery. Let’s check everything we know around this research around video games and COVID-19 recovery here.
COVID-19 recovery may include a prescription video game; details
According to a recent report from The Verge, a research team at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York is looking at a prescription video game. The team is researching if this game can help cure attention and memory problems in COVID-19 patients after recovery. Faith Gunning, a neuropsychologist, and his research team are testing EndeavorRX to treat the coronavirus brain fog. It is the first game that received the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2020 for medical treatment. As per the report, it is currently being used as a prescription video game to cure ADHD in the 8-12 age group.
The research team believes that the game can likely help COVID-19 patients in recovering from memory and focus problems. Gunning has already observed signs of improvement during recovery with the help of this video game therapy. The team is currently conducting a study to observe the effects of the game on COVID-19 patients with the above-mentioned cognitive issues. Gunning clarified that the game targets one specific aspect of memory which is related to “working memory”. This is the cognitive function that allows one to hold information in the brain for some time, allowing them to multitask.