How video games affect the brain

The journal Brain Science published a paper comparing active gamers and those who hardly play. The difference turned out to be noticeable: players who spent at least a few hours a week playing dynamic genres like shooters or strategies had a thicker cerebral cortex in the areas responsible for attention and working with space.

In addition, the scans showed stronger connections between areas of the brain that are responsible for visual perception and coordination of movements. Simply put, gamers have stronger neurons and their signals run faster.

Scientists suggest that such changes may explain the increased reaction speed, the ability to make quick decisions and navigate more accurately in difficult conditions. But at the same time, they emphasize: it is not yet possible to say for sure whether the brain develops games, or whether people with such features simply become gamers more often.

Of course, researchers do not ignore the flip side of the coin — along with the benefits, video games carry risks. Among them are addiction, sedentary lifestyle and the influence of aggressive content.

Nevertheless, the results add arguments to the piggy bank of those who see games not only as a source of entertainment, but also as a possible tool for training attention and reaction. In the future, experts plan to test whether games can be used as a method of cognitive rehabilitation or even prevention of age-related disorders.