Atrial Fibrillation Health Home>>Atrial Fibrillation>> Written by: Bill Kaufmann, QMI Agency Jun. 14, 2013 Stroke patient Art Cunningham mugs for a photo with his therapy instrument, a Nintendo Wii, at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Alta. on Friday, June 14, 2013. Cunningham is part of a nationwide study examining the benefits of using the Wii's motion games as a form of stroke rehabilitation. (Lyle Aspinall/QMI Agency)
Suffering a stroke ushered Art Cunningham into the digital gaming generation.
And limbering up his mind with games like Nintendo Wii could be the route to salvation for those whove endured disruption of blood to the brain, say researchers studying the treatment.
Two weeks after an April 11 stroke damaged the left side of his body, 60-year-old Cunningham began using physical reality Wii games to fight his way back and on Friday, he was hitting strikes and spares hurling virtual bowling balls.
Im not so concerned about scores, but improving on them, he said, adding his grandchildren introduced Wii to him.
The nationwide study aims to recruit 140 stroke patients in gauging the merits of using physically-interactive electronic games comparing the benefits to more conventional activities like cards or dominos.
A previous study showed digital gaming has promise, said Dr. Sean Dukelow, stroke specialist with the University of Calgarys Hotchkiss Brain Institute.
Im betting on the virtual reality but well wait and see certainly, what weve seen is viable, said Dukelow.
Its thought engaging in unfamiliar activities increases the brains elasticity, much like learning a new language does, said the physician.
It enhances the recovery of the brain ... we are actually re-wiring areas of the brain thats died from a stroke, said Dukelow.
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Calgary researchers studying Wii as treatment for stroke patients