A computer game called EndeavorRx is giving attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients hope, after obtaining approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat the condition in children. Researchers at technology company Akili developed EndeavorRx to stimulate and improve brain regions critical in attention function by training children to multitask and ignore distractions.
An algorithm measures user performance and tailors the game's difficulty in real time, and U.S. doctors are prescribing the game to ADHD patients. U.K. application Thymia also is using computer games to help medical professionals identify and diagnose mental health issues. Both Akili and Thymia describe their apps as supplements to, and not a replacement for, physician-directed monitoring and therapy.
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