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The winners project: neuropsycological changes after a video game-based training program in pediatric cancer survivors. a case report

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2024

C. Gonzalez-Perez
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, La Paz University Hospital
E. Moran
Affiliation:
Children Psychology, Juegaterapia
N. Malpica
Affiliation:
Medical Image Analysis and Biometrics Laboratory (LAIMBIO), Rey Juan Carlos University
J. Alvarez-Linera
Affiliation:
Department of Neuroradiology, Hospital Ruber Internacional
H. Melero
Affiliation:
Psychobiology and Methodology in Behavioral Sciences, Complutense University
M. Alonso
Affiliation:
Juegaterapia
M. Esteban
Affiliation:
Juegaterapia
A. Perez-Martinez
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, La Paz University Hospital
E. Fernández-Jiménez*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Mental Health, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Children who have undergone an oncological process and have received treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy on the central nervous system may have significant neurocognitive sequelae. Some video games have shown neurocognitive benefits in people with impairments in different areas, such as attention or memory.

Objectives

This work aims to demonstrate the benefit of a video game-based training program to improve the neurocognitive profile in a child survivor of cancer.

Methods

The patient is a 9-year-old female who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of 4 years. She received routine treatment of this disease by chemotherapy, including high-dose chemotherapy (with blood-brain barrier crossing) and intrathecal chemotherapy. She is currently 3 years after the end of treatment.

The Continuous Performance Test 3 (CPT-3) (sustained attention/vigilance) was administered before and after a multifaceted training program consisting of playing 3 video games for 12 weeks, as follows: a brain-training game (4 days per week, 7-12 minutes per day), a skill-training game (2 days per week, 10 minutes per day) and an exergaming game (2 days per week, 10 minutes per day).

Results

Prior to intervention, the patient had 3 atypical z-scores on the CPT-3 (z scores: mean = 0, S.D. = 1), with a pattern compatible with ADHD (omissions z = 1.2; hit reaction time z = 3.4; hit reaction time block change z = 1.2). After intervention, she had only an atypical z-score (hit reaction time z = 3.6), with a pattern compatible with slowing, without ADHD.

Conclusions

The neuropsychological evaluation of this patient showed an improvement in his attentional pattern on the CPT-3 after the video game-based training.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
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