Virtual City system for cognitive training in elderly

Abstract

The aim of the project is to create a complex training software in virtual city environment with high ecological validity that would enable a comprehensive training of cognitive abilities. The training program could be later applied in healthy aging programs as a prevention of cognitive decline. Individual tasks placed in specific locations (both indoor and outdoor) of the city are focused on various cognitive domains, while the whole city structure is used for training of spatial navigation. We shortly describe the principles of the Virtual City system and characteristics of individual training games. We also suggest possible concepts of application of this system in elderly.