JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Cognitive decline is an important non-motor symptom in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Unfortunately, very few treatment options are available. Recent work pointed to small positive effects of non-pharmacological cognitive training in PD. Most of these trainings are performed under supervision and solely computerized versions of paper-pencil (traditional) cognitive training programs, lacking rewarding gamification stimulants that could help to promote adherence. By describing three different self-invented ways of cognitive gaming in patients with PD, we aim to raise awareness for the potential of gamified cognitive training in PD patients. Additionally, we hope to inspire the readers with our case descriptions, highlighting the importance of both personalisation and co-creation in the development of games for health. Cases: Here, we present three PD patients with different ages, different disease stages and from various backgrounds, who all used a self-invented cognitive training, including elements of personalization and gamification. To indicate generalization into a larger PD population, the recruitment results from a recent cognitive game trial are added. Discussion: The presented cases show similarities in terms of awareness of their cognitive decline and the ways this process could potentially be counteracted, by looking for tools to train their cognition. Based on the response of the recruitment procedure, there seems to be interest in gamified cognitive training in a larger PD population too. Gamification may add to traditional therapies in terms of personalization and adherence. Positive results have already been found with gamified trainings in other populations, and the cases described here suggest that PD is also an attractive area to develop and test gamified cognitive trainings. However, no results of gamified cognitive trainings in PD have been published to this date. This suggests an unmet need in this area and may justify the development of gamified cognitive training and its evaluation, for which our considerations can be used.