Israeli and American researchers have discovered a new way to investigate future treatments for memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease placing sensors on patients' scalps to monitor brain activity while they play video games.

Using a video game featuring a yellow taxi, virtual city and human players with electrodes embedded in their memory banks, the team have discovered how three types of brain cells interact to help people navigate the real world.

While they played the video game, the team evaluated the responses of seven epileptic patients with electrodes already embedded in their brains to determine the focus of their seizures before undergoing surgery.