Researcher says a neurogame can improve multitasking skills

Brain researcher Adam Gazzaley has published research in the scientific journal Nature that shows how a video game has helped the cognitive function of older people in the emerging field of neuro-therapeutics.

The research shows that prototype game NeuroRacer helped older people improve their ability to handle more than one task at a time. It did so by getting them to focus on catching fish and racing through a watery obstacle course at the same time. Brain games have long billed themselves as having cognitive benefits. But Gazzaley’s research shows that if a game is tailored to address a precise cognitive deficit, such as the ability for older people to multitask, it can be effective.

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Dean Takahashi

Dean Takahashi is editorial director for GamesBeat. He has been a tech journalist since 1988, and he has covered games as a beat since 1996. He was lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat from 2008 to April 2025. Prior to that, he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Herring, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Dallas Times-Herald. He is the author of two books, "Opening the Xbox" and "The Xbox 360 Uncloaked." He organizes the annual GamesBeat Next, GamesBeat Summit and GamesBeat Insider Series: Hollywood and Games conferences and is a frequent speaker at gaming and tech events. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.