Video Games Change the Way Brains Work

Facebook may shrink your brain, but video games embiggen* it, science now says. Now, science said this before. Or, rather, AOC claimed science said it before, without citation. A new actual proper study, though, shows that gaming has positive effects on the brain. The paper, entitled Neural Basis of Video Gaming: A Systematic Review, suggests the brain works better on video games. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience published the paper last month.

Video Game Studies Need “Real Data”

Marc Palaus, the paper’s first author, admits that studies into the effects of gaming on the brain are controversial. Palaus told Science Daily:

“Games have sometimes been praised or demonized, often without real data backing up those claims. Moreover, gaming is a popular activity, so everyone seems to have strong opinions on the topic.”

Positives… and Negatives?

The paper finds trends across 116 scientific studies which catalogued changes in brain structure and function. Palaus and colleagues found that game-playing changes the structure of the human brain. The changes improve brain function, including greater attention and visuospatial efficiency. In one study, videogamers even showed an enlarged right hippocampus.

However, the downside of gaming is its potentially addictive quality. Palaus concedes addiction remains under-researched but acknowledges the risk. He explains:

“It’s likely that video games have both positive (on attention, visual and motor skills) and negative aspects (risk of addiction), and it is essential we embrace this complexity.”

*A perfectly cromulent word.