We’ve always known that a little bit of gaming is beneficial, you know, the old hand-eye coordination routine, but recent research is showing that video games can have an even greater effect. Gamers are able to process information and make critical decisions much more quickly than non-gamers, and now, there is evidence that gaming can help fight off some of the mental effects of aging.

The study, published in the December issue of Psychology and Aging, notes that older people who were trained to play the game Rise of Nations performed better on tests of memory and reasoning than before they played.

As casual games like Peggle and Brain Age rise in popularity, not to mention that Wii console lurking between the family photographs at your grandmother’s house, it’s obvious that older people are taking up the gaming torch. Perhaps our youthful hobby will be able to help our parents, and eventually us, cope with the slow decline of age.

You can read more about the study at this article from the Washington Post.