Tuesday, June 16th 2020
American FDA Approves Video Game as ADHD Treatment, Makes it Available as a Prescription
With debates around the nature of video games' influence on psyches and behavior usually being surrounded with violence-related claims, it is certainly refreshing to see something like this happening. The American FDA (Federal Drug Administration) has recently permitted marketing of the first specifically-developed video game designed with the intention of serving as a treatment for ADHD. Under the slogan "it's time to play your medicine", the game, EndeavorRx (AKL-T01), is being marketed for children between the ages of eight and 12. It was designed to "to directly target and activate neural systems through the presentation of sensory stimuli and motor challenges to improve cognitive functioning."
The FDA has issued this permit on the basis of five different studies involving more than 600 children diagnosed with ADHD, where they were encouraged to play this particular video game. Following the test results, a measurable decrease or even dissipation of attention deficit levels in a number of ADHD-related benchmarks were seen. However, not all is green on this side of the pasture: the FDA in its approval also mentioned some verifiable, but not serious, adverse effects after the children were exposed to the EndeavorRx-based therapy, such as frustration, headache, dizziness, emotional reaction, and aggression. The FDA themselves say that the clinical trial results do not suggest this videogame prescription could be an alternative to ADHD drug-specific prescriptions, however. But it could be a first step between an ADHD diagnosis and drug-based treatments. Check out a video of the game after the break.
Sources:
FDA.gov, via TechSpot
The FDA has issued this permit on the basis of five different studies involving more than 600 children diagnosed with ADHD, where they were encouraged to play this particular video game. Following the test results, a measurable decrease or even dissipation of attention deficit levels in a number of ADHD-related benchmarks were seen. However, not all is green on this side of the pasture: the FDA in its approval also mentioned some verifiable, but not serious, adverse effects after the children were exposed to the EndeavorRx-based therapy, such as frustration, headache, dizziness, emotional reaction, and aggression. The FDA themselves say that the clinical trial results do not suggest this videogame prescription could be an alternative to ADHD drug-specific prescriptions, however. But it could be a first step between an ADHD diagnosis and drug-based treatments. Check out a video of the game after the break.
55 Comments on American FDA Approves Video Game as ADHD Treatment, Makes it Available as a Prescription
- Heart disease.
- High blood pressure.
- Seizure.
- Irregular heartbeat.
- Abuse and addiction.
- Skin discolorations.
Observations of children known to have used Ritalin long term show a number of them to suffer drug dependency later in life.I may have been prescribed something similar once (Adderall). It was not a fun experience, and no it did not end up working out for me.That's all well and good it worked out for you but some of us are born with conditions the outdoors don't fix too, mind. A lot of these kids wouldn't even end up surviving if forcibly pushed into such a world.That's really not how it works.
If you have ADHD, it calms you.
If you don't, it wires you up like meth does. Guess what happened to me?
I scrubbed out the lord of the rings comment because it was a bit silly even for me, but you found it anyways.
Similar medications, stimulants mostly, have made me do odd things in the past. We stay away from them now because I don't need that crap, aparently. Ask @sneekypeet about the last time I was prescribed Abilify (which seemed innocent enough)... :laugh:
It sucks too because my core issue is my sleep and wake cycle don't work, so stimulants would kind of rock if they didn't make me batshit insane.
Good thing we got the message across. Don't try the blame game with perceived persecutions. I'm talking what is inside the 'textbook'.
No it's not about me, but YOU asked. Cya later, instigator.
I will not give any advice on medications over the internet. Sorry.
To be completely clear, and leave your insinuations at the door, I was only providing my experiences. If anyone bases their medication choices off of them, they are a moron. Please don't.Usually when providing a strange fact from nowhere, they are expected. Especially when it goes against accepted norms.
You see with textbook information, you can. Because it is true.
I still want to ge tthe message across, my class of evidence is not 'C'.
What works for one, may not work for another, that is why doctors trial medications on their patients, then increase dosage if it works.
Don't try to trick me into your arguments, you will find it more than a match for yours.
Guys, let me help you. I want to. You need to have the best of evidence to make sense of this. Don't let the jargon get the better of you.
I'm going to kindly ignore the rest of this discussion for right now.