In the future, your doctor may prescribe you a videogame.

In a groundbreaking new study at the University of California, San Francisco, scientists found that older adults improved cognitive controls such as multitasking and the ability to sustain attention by playing a specially designed videogame -- and that the effects can be long lasting.

The study, to be published in the scientificjournal Nature on Thursday, is part of a broader effort to understand whether specially designed videogames can help treat neurological disorders, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and even depression.

The new study 'is a powerful example of how plastic the older brain is,' said Adam Gazzaley, a director of the UCSF Neuroscience Imaging Center and a co-author of the study. Mr. Gazzaley is also the co-founder and adviser of Akili Interactive Labs, a startup focused on designing these types of videogames.

This research turns the traditional view of games on its head.

Much of the research linking videogames to our minds has focused on its detrimental effects. There is some evidence, for instance, that playing violent games, heightens aggression in players and hurts the brain's ability to process emotions.

However, an expanding body of research is looking at the link between videogames and so-called cognitive control, or the brain's information-processing functions, such as memory, attention, decision-making and creativity. According to one 2010 study, professional gamers had response times comparable to fighter jet pilots. Another recent study showed a strong correlation between videogame play and the emotionalwell-being of senior adults.

In the UCSF report, scientists spent about a year designing 'NeuroRacer,' a computer game in which a user navigates a race car along a winding track, while also hitting a button on a controller, whenever a green circle appears. The game is designed to challenge a person's multitasking ability -- to push them to switch between distinct tasks, rapidly and accurately. As part of the study, older participants (aged 60 to 85 years) trained on the game for 12 hours over the course of the month.

The study found that after training, the older adults were able to perform at a higher level than untrained 20-year-olds and that the positive effects lasted for at least six months.

Ann Linsley, 65, a participant in the study and a former real estate executive, says before NeuroRacer, she had difficulty focusing. At first, she found the game very frustrating but after several hours, Ms. Linsley says 'something snapped.' The game became easier and she noticed that real life tasks were easier to manage. 'I feel like my brain is working better -- even if it is just to drive a car in a videogame,' Ms. Linsley says.

According to researchers, Ms. Linsley's improvements are rooted in the brain's plasticity, or ability to mold itself, even in older age, and the apparent interconnectivity of our brains' cognitive control functions.

As we age, humans are increasinglyaffected by distractions and have more trouble switching between tasks. The UCSF researchers, however, theorized that this decline of cognitive control isn't fixed, and that the brain can improve with the right stimuli.

The idea, according to Mr. Gazzaley, was that putting pressure on the brain in one area of cognitive control -- in this instance, multitasking -- could create a positive halo effect, improving other aspects of cognitive control. After NeuroRacer training, the brain scans of older adults began to show activity in the prefrontal cortex- -- the area most associated with cognitive control -- similar to that of younger adults. They also showed improved performance in tests for memory and sustained attention.

Though the research is early, the findings raise the question of whether videogames can be designed and targeted to rewire our brains to fight a range of brain disorders. One hope is that these therapies can replace or reduce the use of prescription medications or more invasive medical procedures.

A new version of NeuroRacer is being developed by Akili, which has licensed the intellectual property behind the game to create a graphically rich version. Akili is working to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration to classify its game as an ADHD treatment.

But the path to market can be a slow process. The NeuroRacer study took about four years and it could take years to reach FDA approval, if it ever does.