Pauline Maillot

Effects of interactive physical-activity video-game training on physical and cognitive function in older adults

The purpose of the present study was to assess the potential of exergame training based on physically simulated sport play as a mode of physical activity that could have cognitive benefits for older adults. If exergame play has the cognitive benefits of conventional physical activity and also has the intrinsic attractiveness of video games, then it might be a very effective way to induce desirable lifestyle changes in older adults. To examine this issue, the authors developed an active video game training program using a pretest-training-posttest design comparing an experimental group (24 × 1 hr of training) with a control group without treatment. Participants completed a battery of neuropsychological tests, assessing executive control, visuospatial functions, and processing speed, to measure the cognitive impact of the program. They were also given a battery of functional fitness tests to measure the physical impact of the program. The trainees improved significantly in measures of game performance. They also improved significantly more than the control participants in measures of physical function and cognitive measures of executive control and processing speed, but not on visuospatial measures. It was encouraging to observe that, engagement in physically simulated sport games yielded benefits to cognitive and physical skills that are directly involved in functional abilities older adults need in everyday living (e.g., Hultsch, Hertzog, Small, & Dixon, 1999).

Training the elderly in pedestrian safety: Transfer effect between two virtual reality simulation devices

OBJECTIVES A virtual-reality training program has been developed to help older pedestrians make safer street-crossing decisions in two-way traffic situations. The aim was to develop a small-scale affordable and transportable simulation device that allowed transferring effects to a full-scale device involving actual walking. METHODS 20 younger adults and 40 older participants first participated in a pre-test phase to assess their street crossings using both full-scale and small-scale simulation devices. Then, a trained older group (20 participants) completed two 1.5-h training sessions with the small-scale device, whereas an older control group received no training (19 participants). Thereafter, the 39 older trained and untrained participants took part in a 1.5-h post-test phase again with both devices. RESULTS Pre-test phase results suggested significant differences between both devices in the group of older participants only. Unlike younger participants, older participants accepted more often to cross and had more collisions on the small-scale simulation device than on the full-scale one. Post-test phase results showed that training older participants on the small-scale device allowed a significant global decrease in the percentage of accepted crossings and collisions on both simulation devices. But specific improvements regarding the way participants took into account the speed of approaching cars and vehicles in the far lane were notable only on the full-scale simulation device. DISCUSSION The findings suggest that the small-scale simulation device triggers a greater number of unsafe decisions compared to a full-scale one that allows actual crossings. But findings reveal that such a small-scale simulation device could be a good means to improve the safety of street-crossing decisions and behaviors among older pedestrians, suggesting a transfer of learning effect between the two simulation devices, from training people with a miniature device to measuring their specific progress with a full-scale one.

The Braking Force in Walking: Age-Related Differences and Improvement in Older Adults With Exergame Training

The purposes of this present research were, in the first study, to determine whether age impacts a measure of postural control (the braking force in walking) and, in a second study, to determine whether exergame training in physically-simulated sport activity would show transfer, increasing the braking force in walking and also improving balance assessed by clinical measures, functional fitness, and health-related quality of life in older adults. For the second study, the authors developed an active video game training program (using the Wii system) with a pretest-training-posttest design comparing an experimental group (24 1-hr sessions of training) with a control group. Participants completed a battery comprising balance (braking force in short and normal step conditions), functional fitness (Senior Fitness Test), and health-related quality of life (SF-36). Results show that 12 weeks of video game-based exercise program training improved the braking force in the normal step condition, along with the functional fitness of lower limb strength, cardiovascular endurance, and motor agility, as measured by the Senior Fitness Test. Only the global mental dimension of the SF-36 was sensitive to exergame practice. Exergames appear to be an effective way to train postural control in older adults. Because of the multimodal nature of the activity, exergames provide an effective tool for remediation of age-related problems.

Effets de la pratique des jeux vidéo sur le vieillissement cognitif

L’avancee en âge s’accompagne de nombreux declins cognitifs, mais reste un phenomene tres heterogene. En effet, plusieurs facteurs extrinseques semblent moduler l’impact du vieillissement sur la cognition. Recemment, une serie d’etudes a mis en evidence que la pratique des jeux video pouvait engendrer de nombreux benefices en faveur du maintien de la vitalite cognitive des seniors. Cette revue de litterature vise donc a etablir un etat des lieux precis de la relation entre les differentes natures de jeux video et le vieillissement cognitif, a partir des jeux video sedentaires (i.e., classiques vs. entrainement cerebral) et des jeux video actifs (i.e., exergames). Les ameliorations les plus probantes semblent etre apportees par l’intermediaire des exergames qui combinent a la fois la stimulation intellectuelle et l’exercice physique. Cet article cherche egalement a definir les determinants des programmes d’entrainement pouvant etre responsables des ameliorations observees.Advancing age is associated with cognitive decline, which, however, remains a very heterogeneous phenomenon. Indeed, several extrinsic factors seem to modulate the effect of aging on cognition. Recently, several studies have provided evidence that the practice of video games could engender many benefits by favoring the maintenance of cognitive vitality in the elderly. This review of the literature aims to establish a precise inventory of the relations between the various types of video games and cognitive aging, including both sedentary video games (i.e., classics as well as brain training) and active video games (i.e., exergames). The largest benefits seem to be provided by exergames which combine game play with significant physical exercise. This article also tries to define the determinants of the training programs which could be responsible for the observed improvements.

French validation of the modified-falls efficacy scale (M-FES Fr)

INTRODUCTION Among the tools assessing fall related self-efficacy, the Modified-Falls Efficacy Scale (M-FES) seems to be a comprehensive and sensitive scale. However, no validated French version exists to this day. OBJECTIVE This study aims to translate the M-FES and validate this French translation (M-FES Fr). METHOD The validation steps used to translate and validate the M-FES Fr were i) forward - backward translation, ii) examination of the internal structure and reliability, iii) evaluation of the convergent validity. In this study, 310 French-speaking older adults (56 geriatric patients and 254 community-dwelling older adults) completed the M-FES Fr. Among the community-dwelling older adults, 67 fallers and 70 non-fallers were also asked to complete questionnaires related to variables such as health, fear of falling, and physical activity levels. RESULTS A two-factor solution (indoor vs outdoor activities) was suggested, which accounted for 68.1% of the total variance. Reliability estimates for both factors were good (Cronbach α > 0.94, ICC > .93). Significant differences between geriatric patients and community-dwelling older adults and between fallers and non-fallers were highlighted. Furthermore, the M-FES Fr scores were significantly linked to various risk factors for falling. CONCLUSION The M-FES Fr has psychometric properties which are similar to those found in the original version, including reliability and validity. This questionnaire will enable French-speaking researchers and health professionals to work with the same concepts as those used in other languages. Notably, the M-FES Fr could be used in the development and evaluation of intervention strategies in the prevention of falls.