NYU Scientists Build 3-Minute Game to Detect Depression in 120 Volunteers
Updated
Updated · Gizmodo · May 20
NYU Scientists Build 3-Minute Game to Detect Depression in 120 Volunteers
4 articles · Updated · Gizmodo · May 20
A 3-minute apple-harvesting game separated 50 people with major depression from 70 healthy controls, with play patterns also tracking illness severity, NYU researchers reported in PNAS.
Depressed participants switched trees much earlier—when yields were still about eight apples—while controls typically stayed until output fell to roughly four or five, a pattern tied to anhedonia.
A second experiment found depressed volunteers kept bidding less for snacks after seeing a favorite food, supporting the team's view that depression can lock in distorted reward expectations.
NYU is seeking FDA clearance for the game as a Class II medical device and says it could be used on smartphones to monitor treatment response weekly rather than during brief clinic visits.
The researchers say the tool could help identify depression subtypes because anhedonia affects about 70% of clinically depressed people, potentially guiding more tailored treatment.
A three-minute game says it can diagnose depression. Is this a medical revolution or a dangerous oversimplification?
If therapists don't trust mental health games, can this new app overcome the hurdles of clinical adoption?
"Revolutionizing Depression Screening: The NYU 3-Minute Smartphone Game for Objective, Remote Diagnosis"
Overview
NYU has developed the 3-Minute Depression Detection Game, a new smartphone app that screens for depression by having players collect apples and decide when to switch trees. This simple gameplay acts as a behavioral marker for depression, focusing on anhedonia, or the reduced ability to feel pleasure. The game allows researchers to observe and measure changes in how people process rewards, making mental health assessment more accessible and objective. Its scientific approach has gained credibility through recent publication in a leading journal, highlighting its potential as a rapid, user-friendly tool for depression screening.