Training Working Memory and Sustained Attention

This game effectively trains working memory—the ability to temporarily hold multiple pieces of visual information and manage them while keeping track of their sequence—and sustained attention—the concentration required to track a continuous stream of patterns without missing any. Players are challenged to retain patterns of shapes or symbols that appear in succession and accurately recall the previous two or three patterns. As the number of items to remember increases from two to three, the memory load shifts; this engages the ability to flexibly adjust memory capacity and activates the updating function—the process of replacing old information with new data as it arrives. These cognitive functions are primarily associated with the prefrontal cortex and the parietal lobe. Repeated play can lead to improvements in multitasking memory processing in daily life, such as taking notes while listening to someone speak.