This 3-Minute Video Game Is Surprisingly Good at Spotting Depression
Gizmodo • • health
Key Points:
- Researchers at New York University developed a three-minute video game that can help identify anhedonia, a key symptom of major depression characterized by a loss of pleasure in normally rewarding activities.
- In the game, players collect apples from trees that yield fewer apples over time, requiring them to switch trees; people with depression switched trees earlier than healthy controls, correlating with the severity of their symptoms.
- A second experiment showed that depressed individuals’ expectations remain distorted over time, as evidenced by their continued lower bids on favorite snacks compared to non-depressed participants.
- The researchers aim to use the game not only for diagnosis but also for ongoing monitoring of depression symptoms and treatment effectiveness, potentially allowing patients to take the test regularly at home via smartphone.
- The team is seeking FDA clearance for the game as a Class II medical device, hoping it will serve as a quick, objective tool to aid clinicians in diagnosing and tailoring treatments for different types of depression.