Wii-Hab: Gaming’s Contribution to Treating Parkinson’s Disease

With every move you make, a chemical called dopamine sends a message to your brain to tell your muscles to function. When the dopamine supply is seriously depleted, messages cannot be transmitted efficiently, and the body cannot respond as easily. Imagine having your supply of dopamine cut down by eighty percent. That’s Parkinson’s disease (PD). With a bevy of medications available to deal with both physical and cognitive symptoms, the real challenge is finding non-pharmaceutical forms of relief.

Fortunately, good doctors prescribe exercise as seriously as they do drugs. A study at the University of Pittsburgh found that an exercise regimen slowed down the degeneration of nerve cells in rats with PD. Research is now occurring to find concrete evidence that this benefit also applies to humans.

Recently, a forward-thinking man named Dr. Ben Herz garnered a $45,000 grant from the National Parkinson’s Foundation to perform a study of his own. At the Medical College of Georgia, Dr. Herz determined that the Nintendo Wii may help treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, including impaired motor skills and depression. Dr. Herz, director of the School of Allied Health Sciences Department of Occupational Therapy, presented his preliminary findings at the 2009 Games for Health Conference in Boston.

He theorized that the Wii, which simulates sports and activities, could aid in improving coordination, reflexes and fine motor-skills. Patients can use Wii as an occupational therapy tool on their own, administering a sense of autonomy and control.

In the eight-week pilot study, twenty Parkinson’s patients spent an hour playing the Wii three times a week for a month. These patients played two games each of bowling and tennis, as well as a game of boxing. These games were chosen because they require balance, a quick pace, and exercise.

Participants showed notable improvements in rigidity, movement, fine motor skills, energy and depression. Since depression afflicts an estimated forty-five percent of patients, this aspect of the study is particularly inspiring. Studies show that both video games and exercise can enhance the brain’s ability to produce dopamine. Dr. Herz believes that is why the Wii’s exercise aspect has such a positive effect on patients.

Although Dr. Herz doesn’t claim to have found an alternative to medicine, he is certain that game systems are truly the future of rehabilitation. It seems fairly obvious that these effects should be explored further – for PD as well as other neurological and degenerative disorders.

British physiotherapist Rebecca Redmond has created a website (wiihabilitation.co.uk) and online community for people who use the Wii as a form of rehabilitation. The site has a place for both professionals and the public to learn and discuss the benefits of Wii. Redmond also posts articles and findings on her Twitter feed: @Wii_Hab.

After the Wii study concluded, about sixty percent of the participants chose to purchase their own consoles. As with any ailment, finding a remedy that offers relief is a welcome gift. Parkinson’s disease is on the forefront of stem cell research, with a cure truly possible in the near future. Until then, therapies like Wii should be used in conjunction with pharmaceutical drugs to slow the disease’s progression and enhance a patient’s quality of life.

Gotta catch ’em all! Including Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver

    

Prepare for trouble and make it double! March 14, 2010 was the launch date of the new Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver games on Nintendo DS, remakes of the 1999 original Gold and Silver games on Game Boy Color. For those who thought ahead of time and had a Reservation Card, Target was giving away gift cards per game, as well as Lugia and Ho-oh collectible figurines. For once daylight-saving time was actually welcomed in my home, as it meant I would get to play the new games one hour earlier. After several hours of anticipation and strategic decision making (“I’ll buy Gold if you let me play your Silver later…”), I finally had a copy in my very own hands. Pokémon HeartGold was my game choice and I am happy to say that it combines old-school Pokémon antics with some updated adventures. 
 

As a new trainer, your journey in HeartGold and SoulSilver is pretty identical to the one back in 1999. Not too much has changed since the original Gold and Silver story—granted you don’t mess with the best. The new format is up to date and now any Pokémon can follow you, but the underlying basis still involves traveling to gyms and inevitably trying to halt the evil plans of Team Rocket (They’re blasting off again!). Pokémasters can now travel to the elusive Safari Zone and use the new Pokéathlon game feature. Pick your three favorite Pokémon to play in a set of mini-games on the Nintendo DS touch screen utilizing the wireless feature to play against friends.
     

With yet two more versions of Pokémon game play, Nintendo had to do something to capture our interest—introducing the Pokéwalker. Basically a glorified pedometer, the Pokéwalker allows you to upload a Pokémon and then bring it around with you as you walk. Walking earns watts, which let you level up your existing Pokémon and catch new ones. Game enthusiasts can train Pokémon while getting their daily amount of exercise—or if you are like me, you can simply attach the Pokéwalker to your dog. Believe me, it works exactly the same.
      

 The Pokéwalker peripheral is the fundamental piece of the HeartGold and SoulSilver launch. If you happened to be in New York City yesterday, perhaps you even saw giant Pikachu footprints around Broadway Plaza, celebrating the release of the game. Festivities were in full swing as Pokéfans followed Pika’s trail (pedometer in hand) around Times Square, ending up at the Toys ‘R’ Us. Such an anticipated launch couldn’t have come at a better time for gaming giant Nintendo and the Pokémon craze. Ten years since the original Gold/Silver has left fans craving more, and the timing of such a combination invites both new fans and old Pokémaniacs. Pokémon truly cross generational gaps—after all who doesn’t love a cute Pikachu or a cuddly Jigglypuff?

Online Gaming Subscriptions to Grow 20.4%, Xbox Live to Lead [In-Stat via GameDaily]

In-Stat reported today that online gaming subscriptions will grow a projected 20.4% between 2005 and 2013, while unit sales of video game consoles will decline in 2010.  Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

  • Each of the three key vendors [Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo] is positioned to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual online gaming revenue from online service subscriptions, download revenue and/or online advertising.
  • Microsoft’s Xbox Live service will clearly lead, with projected revenue of over $1 billion in revenue annually by 2013.  
  • Worldwide broadband subscriptions will reach 562 million in 2009.  The combination of broadband, installed home networks, and pervasive Wi-Fi in gaming devices, is fueling online gaming subscriber growth.
  • In 2008, total video game console unit shipments reached 88 million worldwide, up 7% from worldwide unit shipments in 2007.

References:
In-Stat Press Release
Game Daily Article