ADHD
Program Information
Series: Destination TomorrowProgram: Episode 3
Segment Number: 2 (Watch entire program)
Duration: 00:04:37
Year Produced: 2002
Description:
NASA Destination Tomorrow Segment that describes how scientists use simulators in research and training. The segment also describes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and how scientists are using video games and simulators to treat the condition.
NASA's Destination Tomorrow™ is a series of 30-minute programs that focus on NASA research. Each exciting program gives the audience an inside look at NASA and demonstrates how research and technology relate to our everyday lives.
For more information visit: http://destination.larc.nasa.gov/Transcript
(O'Bryon)
IT SEEMS LIKE VIDEO GAMES
ARE JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE.
PEOPLE HAVE THEM IN THEIR HOMES,
ON THEIR COMPUTERS,
AND EVEN SMALL HANDHELD
VERSIONS.
NASA USES SIMULATORS, WHICH ARE
SIMILAR TO VIDEO GAMES,
TO TRAIN AND HELP PILOTS STAY
FOCUSED WHILE FLYING A PLANE.
DERIVED FROM THIS RESEARCH,
NASA RESEARCHERS
HAVE INCORPORATED
THE USE OF VIDEO GAMES
TO HELP TREAT PATIENTS
WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT
HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER.
LYNDABETH BUREAU EXPLAINS.
(Bureau)
HAVE YOU EVER MET SOMEONE
WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT
HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER,
OR ADHD?
CHANCES ARE THAT YOU HAVE.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AS MANY
AS 6% OF ALL AMERICANS
SUFFER FROM THIS PROBLEM.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ADHD
CAN INCLUDE POOR ATTENTION SPAN,
IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR, AND,
IN SOME CASES, HYPERACTIVITY.
CURRENTLY, DRUG TREATMENT
IS THE MOST WIDELY USED APPROACH
TO CONTROL THE UNWANTED BEHAVIOR
ASSOCIATED WITH ADHD.
BUT WOULD YOU BELIEVE
THAT PLAYING VIDEO GAMES
MIGHT HELP PEOPLE WITH ADHD
CONTROL THEIR BEHAVIOR?
RESEARCHERS AT NASA LANGLEY
RESEARCH CENTER
AND EASTERN VIRGINIA
MEDICAL SCHOOL
HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING RESEARCH
WHICH SHOWS
THAT THE USE OF A SPECIALLY
ADAPTED VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER
IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOMETHING
CALLED BIOFEEDBACK
MAY DRASTICALLY CHANGE THE WAY
WE TREAT ADHD.
WE CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA
FOR A WAY TO TREAT ADHD
IN CHILDREN WITH OUR WORK
IN FLIGHT SIMULATORS,
WHERE WE WERE INTERESTED
IN PILOTS' ATTENTIVENESS
AND HOW TO IMPROVE THAT.
WE CONNECTED THEIR BRAIN WAVES
TO THE FLIGHT SIMULATOR
SO THAT IT AFFECTED
HOW MUCH CONTROL THEY HAD
OVER THE FLIGHT SIMULATOR.
WE DECIDED THAT
THIS MIGHT HAVE SOME USEFULNESS
IN BRAIN WAVE
BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING,
AND WE SUBSTITUTED VIDEO GAMES
FOR THE FLIGHT SIMULATOR,
AND THAT BROUGHT THE ELEMENT
OF MOTIVATION,
THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE
INTO BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING.
(Bureau)
BIOFEEDBACK
IS A TREATMENT TECHNIQUE
THAT TEACHES PATIENTS
TO TRAIN AND CONTROL
NORMALLY INVOLUNTARY BODY
FUNCTIONS, LIKE BRAIN WAVES,
BY USING DISPLAYS OF SIGNALS
FROM THEIR OWN BODIES.
WITH THE AID
OF A BIOFEEDBACK MACHINE,
PATIENTS WITH ADHD CAN LEARN
TO TRAIN THE BRAIN WAVES
THAT ARE ASSOCIATED
WITH FOCUSING.
PATIENTS TRAIN
THESE BRAIN WAVES
BY INCREASING THE STRENGTH
OF HIGH-FREQUENCY BETA WAVES
AND DECREASING THE STRENGTH
OF LOW-FREQUENCY THETA WAVES.
PRACTICING THESE BRAIN WAVE
CHANGES HAS BEEN SHOWN
TO LEAD TO AN IMPROVED ABILITY
TO PAY ATTENTION.
THESE BRAIN WAVES
CAN BE TRAINED
MUCH LIKE AN ATHLETE
TRAINS HIS MUSCLES.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN A PITCHER
THROWS A BALL
TOWARDS HOME PLATE,
IF HE IS OFF THE MARK,
THEN HE MUST ADJUST HIS DELIVERY
THE NEXT TIME
HE THROWS THE BALL.
BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING
WORKS SIMILARLY;
IF A PATIENT'S BRAIN WAVES
ARE NOT ON TARGET,
THEN THE PATIENT MUST ADJUST
HIS BRAIN WAVES
TO MEET THE DESIRED GOAL.
SO JUST AS THE PITCHER USES HIS
MUSCLES TO ADJUST HIS DELIVERY,
THE PATIENT USES HIS MIND
TO ADJUST HIS BRAIN WAVES.
VIDEO GAMES OFFER THE ELEMENT
OF MOTIVATION.
THEY MAKE
THE BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING
ENTERTAINING FOR CHILDREN.
BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING TYPICALLY
IS JUST SHOWING CHILDREN
DISPLAYS OF THEIR BRAIN WAVES
AND ASKING THEM TO CONTROL THAT.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS EMBEDDED THAT
IN AN ENTERTAINING,
ENJOYABLE ACTIVITY.
THIS TECHNOLOGY WORKS BY
CONNECTING A CHILD'S BRAIN WAVES
TO A VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER.
(Bureau)
IN THE NASA/E.V.M.S. STUDY,
SEVERAL OFF-THE-SHELF
VIDEO GAMES WERE LINKED
TO THE BIOFEEDBACK SIGNAL
FROM THE PATIENT'S BRAIN WAVES
THROUGH THE HANDHELD CONTROLLER
THAT GUIDES THE GAME'S ACTION.
WHEN THE GAME WAS ACTIVATED,
THE PATIENT'S BRAIN WAVES
ACTUALLY BECAME
A PART OF THE GAME.
IT WORKS LIKE THIS:
WHILE A PATIENT IS PLAYING
A CAR RACING GAME,
FOR EXAMPLE, THE SENSORS PICK UP
HIGH-FREQUENCY BETA WAVES
AND LOW-FREQUENCY THETA WAVES
FROM THE PLAYER'S BRAIN.
IF THE BIOFEEDBACK MACHINE
READS A HIGHER PERCENTAGE
OF THETA WAVES,
IT SENDS A SIGNAL
TO THE CONTROLLER
WHICH LOWERS THE TOP SPEED
THAT THE PLAYER'S CAR CAN REACH.
TO INCREASE HIS TOP SPEED,
THE PLAYER MUST INCREASE
HIS PERCENTAGE OF BETA WAVES.
THE PLAYER LEARNS
THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR
TO PRODUCE MORE BETA WAVES AND
NOT LIMIT HIS CAR'S TOP SPEED.
WITH ENOUGH TRAINING,
CHANGES IN THE PATIENT'S BRAIN
BECOME AUTOMATIC AND CAN LEAD
TO IMPROVED ATTENTION
AND BEHAVIOR ALL THE TIME.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS
AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE
TO BE ABLE TO BRING
INTO THEIR HOME
AND ENJOY THE BENEFITS
OF BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING
THROUGH ENTERTAINING
ACTIVITIES.
(Bureau)
HOME VERSIONS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY
ARE CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED
THAT WOULD INCORPORATE SENSORS
EMBEDDED INTO A HELMET
TO MEASURE PLAYERS'
BRAIN WAVES.
IF THIS TECHNIQUE CONTINUES
TO PROVE TO BE EFFECTIVE,
ONE DAY, KIDS MAY ACTUALLY
HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE
TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES.