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Many over-60s may never have played a video game, nor have any inclination to do so. New research, however, suggests that playing strategic video gamesthose that emphasise resource management and planning, for examplemay help the elderly to maintain mental abilities including memory, reasoning and the capacity for multi-tasking。 Arthur Kramer of the University of Illinois said it was the first study to find improvement in cognitive skills that were not directly related to the skills learned in the game. The research is published in the journal Psychology and Aging。 The game used in the study was Rise of Nations， in which gamers score points for building cities, feeding and employing their people, and maintaining and expanding their territory. Participants in the study who were trained to play the game showed significant cognitive benefits compared with those who were not: they were able to switch between tasks better and faster, and their working memory significantly improved。 This is one mode in which older people can stay mentally fit, cognitively fit, Prof Kramer said, adding that socialising, exercising and eating well were also important to mental health in later years。 许多60岁以上的老人可能从未玩过电脑游戏，也没有打算这样做。不过，一项新的研究表明，玩战略性电脑游戏例如那些强调资源管理和规划的游戏可能有助于老年人保持智力，包括记忆、推理和多任务处理能力等。 | 
