Interactive serious games for cognitive training of older adults: a systematic review

Current projections indicate that many countries worldwide are experiencing an increase in the older adult population. Thus, it is important to develop methodologies and tools to improve the quality of life of aging people in terms of their cognitive, social, and physical well-being. An area that is currently showing considerable potential in coping with cognitive decline associated with the aging process is digital serious games. Recent years have witnessed a significant attention increase toward this topic with contributions from several research communities. Although some previous work aimed to synthesize the main findings in related areas, a focused and systematic review categorizing and discussing the literature on cognitive training for older adults is still lacking. To this aim, we selected 113 relevant articles from four international databases. We analyzed them on different relevant dimensions, such as the interactive technologies employed in the games, the activities supported, the user profiles participating in the studies, the factors influencing user engagement and motivation, and the effects of training on the addressed cognitive functions. The analysis of the above dimensions is useful to uncover the factors that distinguish successful cognitive interventions from less effective ones and to facilitate the creation of engaging training programs tailored to the needs of older adults. At the same time, by highlighting promising avenues for further research, the review provides useful indications to researchers and practitioners interested in this field.