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A study out of Stanford looked at how videogames, in particular serious games and games for health, can activate circuits in the brain associated with positive motivation. "The study published today provides new insights into how these effects might have occurred, revealing that active participation in gameplay events is key to activating the brain's positive motivation circuits. Seeing and hearing the same information without active participation in gameplay had no impact on activity in positive motivation circuits."

A new study finds that when adolescent girls play age-appropriate games with their parents there may be some benefits, such as feeling closer to family members and having better mental health.

gaming as a basis for interpersonal communication

This is an interesting example of a video game targeting mental health. The designers created a 3D fantasy world with different realms in which players learn mental behavioral techniques used to combat depression. The game was found to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in teens with mild to moderate depression.

Such a great idea. In rural areas, the lack of mental health practitioners is a serious problem so we reserve referrals for children who are in dire circumstances. Children with moderate or mild depression almost never get services. This game has great potential!

That's such an excellent point Allison!

SuperBetter is a game designed to increase the player's "personal resilience" or grit while facing health or illness recovery challenges. Jane McGonigal is one of the creators. The game is in closed beta; it looks like you can sign up to play at least part of it from this site.

neuro feedback found in games seem promising in helping kids with ADHD

The Obama administration is looking at video games to improve citizens' understanding of health, civic engagement and the environment.

Do 3-D interfaces cause headaches? Potential trouble for immersive visuals as 3-D interfaces require unnatural eye movements which may result in visually induced motion sickness. More popcorn please.

I didn't end up with any ill effects, but I noticed that your inability to focus on objects on different levels of the 3D plane is unnerving. Often there would be interesting flora in the foreground, and because it's in 3D, you want to look at it but you can't focus your eyes on it.

A timely reminder for educators who are seeking to motivate students. I seem to recall the center of 'Flow' to be focused on happiness so if this excessive motivation to do well comes at the expense of one's health, then perhaps it's good to take some time to reflect on what the real benefit is. Thanks for sharing Kasthuri!

Contest for stem cell scientists to to sell their research to an unscientific public with a short attention span.

Play award winning free educational online games on science, math, social studies health and watch BrainPOP animated movies.

An article discussing various attempts at providing therapy for anxiety through computer programs and phone apps. One of the research projects targeting social anxiety is currently being conducted at the McNally Lab here at Harvard. The findings are still a little murky but I think it's a great start to providing education about and strategies for treating mental health issues to a broader audience- especially to those who otherwise have very limited or no access to help.

Thank you for sharing this, Kate. I'm a little skeptical about 1) the long-term effectiveness of this technology, 2) the transferability of learning/conditioning, and 3) the subtle implications of "therapist-free" therapy. The debate is similar to when educational technology was first heralded to be able to replace teachers and classrooms, when in fact technology is best supplemented by in-person guidance. It is a fascinating area of research and development though, and I look forward to seeing how this type of therapy can transform standard practice.

exergaming advocated by president's fitness council