2. Harnessing the power
and appeal of
technology to improve
kids’ health
2!

3. Our Model!
research! innovation! customer input!
3!

4. Re-Mission!
• 20 levels!
• 7 cancer types!
• Objectives: kill cells, manage side-effects and complications!
• Weapons: chemo, radiation, antibiotics, stool softener!
4!

5. PEDIATRICS August 2008!
RE-MISSION WORKS!
• Improved treatment adherence!
– 16% increase in antibiotic doses!
– Blood chemo levels 20% higher!
• Improved cancer knowledge!
• Greater self-efficacy: Increased belief in
ability to control/cope with cancer!
5!

6. Identifying the mechanisms of action in Re-Mission!
Knowledge and
learning are only part
of the story
6!

7. Identifying the mechanisms of action in Re-Mission!
? Treatment!
adherence!
7
7!

8. Re-Mission Works – But How?
Identifying the mechanisms of action in Re-Mission!
Emotion/!
Motivation!
Treatment!
adherence!
Knowledge!
Re-Mission Attitudes Study!
Jennifer Aaker, Ph.D., Stanford University!
8
8!

9. Identifying the mechanisms of action in Re-Mission!
How does videogame play influence real-life behavior?!
?
Interactivity and Reward-Related Neural
Activation During a Serious Videogame!
!
h#p://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033909
!
9
9!

10. Identifying the mechanisms of action in Re-Mission!
10 min fMRI T2*!
Rest!
Rest
Rest
Rest
Rest
Rest
Rest
Play!
Rest!
10!

11. Identifying the mechanisms of action in Re-Mission!
Interactive play
! Passive exposure!
Caudate! Caudate!
Thalamus! Thalamus!
Hippocampus! Hippocampus!
11
11!

12. iden%fying
mechanisms
of
ac%on
Identifying the mechanisms of action in Re-Mission!
Results!
• Game-based interventions can be powerful tools for
activating health-supportive behaviors!
• Psychological outcomes (knowledge, self-efficacy)!
• Treatment-related behavior (chemo / antibiotic
adherence)!
• Interactive game-play has wide impact on the brain!
• Learning / knowledge !
Interactivity and Reward-Related Neural • Motivation / emotion!
Activation!
During a Serious Videogame!
• Hippocampal activation may play a role in generalizing
in-game experience to real-life behavior!
Brian Knutson, Ph.D., Stanford University
!
http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033909!
Implications!
• Psychological “recipe” for positive behavior change!
• Neural biomarkers for optimizing interventions !
12
12!

13. Thank you!