Virtual Reality Video Game Improves Memory in Older Adults

Abstract

The ability to remember detailed information is called high-fidelity long-term memory. We use high-fidelity long-term memory to remember the details of our favorite stories and how to track which family member a green pair of socks belongs to. As we age, the ability to remember these details declines as the health of the brain changes. We created a virtual reality video game called Labyrinth-VR, with the aim to restore memory. When playing Labyrinth-VR, participants practice figuring out where they want to go using the shortest route to get there. In Labyrinth-VR, participants learned a virtual neighborhood and then had to find their way around to run errands. In our study, 49 older adults played either 12 h of Labyrinth-VR or 12 h of iPad games. The results of tests of high-fidelity long-term memory showed that playing Labyrinth-VR, but not iPad games, led to improvements in participants’ scores.