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Video Game-Like Programs Could Treat Schizophrenia
derGoldstein writes "Discovery is pointing to an ongoing study by Sophia Vinogradov, professor of psychiatry at UC-San Francisco, who is 'trying to determine whether computer-based cognitive remediation, a type of brain training through video game-like programs, is effective for treating schizophrenia. ... In a handful of blinded and randomized trials with computer-based training, Vinogradov has reported cognitive improvements for both recently diagnosed patients and those living with the disorder for several years. So far, treatment — such as 50 hours of training over a 10-week period — has shown great promise for patients when compared to control groups.'"
If "DIscovery" is posting about this, then it's immediately suspect.
The relevance of this post is astounding.
A blog post about mental illness and startups. In the case of some mental illnesses/conditions, behaviorism can play a bigger part than the chemistry. It's an absurdly difficult subject to research, and progress is slow, but mental illness is up there with obesity on the watch-list of developed-world epidemics.
Entomologically speaking, the spider is not a bug, it's a feature.
To morons: Do NOT click on this link if you are at work.
To everyone else: Do NOT click on this link.
which is totally what she said
Neuroplasticity-Based Cognitive Training in Schizophrenia
The voices in my head now tell me to shoot cyberdemons until they die instead of shooting the little grey men who are watching me from behind. Watching and waiting. Waiting... waiting... waiting...
How do you blind a study like this? What kind of control group would be fooled by a placebo (not playing actual video games)? These people would have to be crazy.
When do we start to hand out computer games to the Taliban/Al-Qaeda, Catholiban and their Israeli equivalents? In all cases including especially their spiritual leaders.
Maybe one day, if we allow us to see religion as the schizophrenia that it is (Notice that this does not contain a judgment. Schizophrenia is not exactly a choice. Given a bad enough situation, we all may not be able to live on without falling into it.), and those people as ill and needing help. But for that, one would have to understand them.. And then we couldn't hate them and wish them death anymore based on an ignorant armchair "analysis"... just like they do with us... which apparently is acceptable if one is the $good side. :/
P.S.: Posting anonymously only since 2009! (Because the modding system is fundamentally broken.)
I don't know, I think it's a valid expression of the GP's Mental Illness ;)
Why? It's just some vanity email service. Just the parking page. actually.
Some computer games have helped children with Autism and others with ADHSD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Spectrum Disorder). I've seen what looks like FPS (first person shooter) simulations help returning soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and I've also seen (a lot) of physiotherapy done with wii-fit, including modifications to wii controllers for people confined to wheelchairs who have lost muscle tone, re-gain it by ...working out by playing games. Apparently they are 'way more fun' than the crappy 'move left, move right' exercises the physiotherapists have been offering in the past. As the parent may have alluded to, there is Neuroplasticity-Based Cognitive Training going on (something I remember from university psych classes, even though I graduated as a CS major). The long and the short of it is: "Yes sparky, you really can teach old dogs new tricks", and also "be careful what you read and be careful what you learn, you're rewiring you brain at every turn". It actually is an extension of what Henry Ford claimed: "Whether you think you can't or whether you think you can, you are right."
If using the proper probability value for such a small, and inadequate, sample there are no significant effects whatsoever.
The cognition training given only has video-game like rewards, there is nothing video game about it. Confounding factors which they did not mention are that the test group was exposed to one type of computer training with reduced and tightly controled stimuli while the control group played 16 different computer games with lots of stimuli and played several games every day. Computer time was only 1 hour a day. Any differences in their insignificant findings could be explained by rewarding focus.
Then again this probably just one of those papers written up to get more funding judging by their misleading use of statistics and their optimistic wording of the possible positive results if they just had more time and subjects as well as the statement that what is important is improving every day functioning and not scores on tests, n.b., both the test group and the control group showed improved daily functioning.
I could give a more detailed analysis of how wrong this all is but this is painful enough on my N900, anybody have a laptop/tablet they're giving away? How about a motherboard for a tx2500? A job reviewing grant submissions?
Don't complain about syntax, grammar, or spelling. There is no.hell like input on android.
it doesnt matter if they cured cancer tomorrow. if it cost more than a few thousand dollars, most of the people on this planet could never afford it.
without health insurance, all of these wonderful medical breakthroughs dont mean anything.
Yeah, right, and I just feel off some truck filled with turnips. Listen here you big asshole! I know who you are and I know where to find you!
Video Games can only affect people negativelly as scientists have proved and the bible says! Would someone think of the children!
My neurofeedback treatments for ADHD and depression are just like video games. They work like a charm for anxiety and migraines too.