The Neurology of Gaming

Video games have both positive and negative effects on the human brain. They can be used to educate through repetition and feedback, but they also have some less-positive side effocts: The Neurology of Gaming The parts of the brain impacted by games areas of the brain by provoking certain reactions: Different gaming scenarios and situations affect different Game play involves repeated actions that strengthen the brain cell connections PREMOTOR & PARIETAL CORTEX Games that require real-time action, like "Space Invader, activate these areas, FRONTAL LOBE One study claimed frequent players can get 'video game brain.' This means key parts of their frontal lobe become underused, which can alter moods. underlying memory and learning. which control PREFRONTAL sensory movement. CORTEX Games that require logical thinking, like "Othello' and Tetris', activate this area, which controls decision making. DOPAMINE Dopamine, which is involved in learning and feelings of reward, is released in the brain's striatum during video game play. DORSAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX Immediately after firing a weapon in a video game, players show greater activity in this area, which controls cognition and planning. ROSTRAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX & AMYGDALA Areas that resolve emotional conflict showed less activity while players fired a weapon and soon afterward. Studies say players may suppress their emotional response to cope with their violent actions. The effects of violent video games When gamers play frequently, there's a decrease in prefrontal lobe activity. This can lead to altered moods and aggressive behavior, which can last even after the game is turned off. One week of violent game play can lead to lower activation of the left inferior frontal lobe during emotional tasks and also in the anterior cingulate cortex during numerical tasks. - Those who play high-aggression games are significantly more anxious than those who don't. Playing violent games increases aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors in the short The positive and negative effects of video game Depending on what area of the brain is being tested, studies can produce very different results. and long-term. Games that require teamwork help develop collaboration skills Games designed to help Violent content in Violent game play children manage health problems like asthma are more effective than games increases aggressive responses increases active suppression of emotional responses doctors' pamphlets Improves ability to reason and solve new problems independently of previously acquired knowledge Long-term playing can lead to obesity, attention problems, and poor school performance Increased risk of Can improve peripheral vision, way finding skills, hand-eye coordination and seizures in people with epilepsy or photosensitivity disorder mental rotation MALE GAMERS VS. FEMALE GAMERS On average, male brains show a much greater activation in the mesocorticolimbic center (associated with reward and addiction) than female brains. This amount correlated directly with how much advancement they made through the game-play. X Sources: dana.org, ieeexplore.ieee.org, serendip.brynmawr.edu, livescience.com, sclencedaly.com, indiatimes.com, serendip.brynmawr.edu X Sources: i j OnlineUniversities.com Information Provided By: http://www.onlineuniversities.com/ +0 II-- Video games have both positive and negative effects on the human brain. They can be used to educate through repetition and feedback, but they also have some less-positive side effocts: The Neurology of Gaming The parts of the brain impacted by games areas of the brain by provoking certain reactions: Different gaming scenarios and situations affect different Game play involves repeated actions that strengthen the brain cell connections PREMOTOR & PARIETAL CORTEX Games that require real-time action, like "Space Invader, activate these areas, FRONTAL LOBE One study claimed frequent players can get 'video game brain.' This means key parts of their frontal lobe become underused, which can alter moods. underlying memory and learning. which control PREFRONTAL sensory movement. CORTEX Games that require logical thinking, like "Othello' and Tetris', activate this area, which controls decision making. DOPAMINE Dopamine, which is involved in learning and feelings of reward, is released in the brain's striatum during video game play. DORSAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX Immediately after firing a weapon in a video game, players show greater activity in this area, which controls cognition and planning. ROSTRAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX & AMYGDALA Areas that resolve emotional conflict showed less activity while players fired a weapon and soon afterward. Studies say players may suppress their emotional response to cope with their violent actions. The effects of violent video games When gamers play frequently, there's a decrease in prefrontal lobe activity. This can lead to altered moods and aggressive behavior, which can last even after the game is turned off. One week of violent game play can lead to lower activation of the left inferior frontal lobe during emotional tasks and also in the anterior cingulate cortex during numerical tasks. - Those who play high-aggression games are significantly more anxious than those who don't. Playing violent games increases aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors in the short The positive and negative effects of video game Depending on what area of the brain is being tested, studies can produce very different results. and long-term. Games that require teamwork help develop collaboration skills Games designed to help Violent content in Violent game play children manage health problems like asthma are more effective than games increases aggressive responses increases active suppression of emotional responses doctors' pamphlets Improves ability to reason and solve new problems independently of previously acquired knowledge Long-term playing can lead to obesity, attention problems, and poor school performance Increased risk of Can improve peripheral vision, way finding skills, hand-eye coordination and seizures in people with epilepsy or photosensitivity disorder mental rotation MALE GAMERS VS. FEMALE GAMERS On average, male brains show a much greater activation in the mesocorticolimbic center (associated with reward and addiction) than female brains. This amount correlated directly with how much advancement they made through the game-play. X Sources: dana.org, ieeexplore.ieee.org, serendip.brynmawr.edu, livescience.com, sclencedaly.com, indiatimes.com, serendip.brynmawr.edu X Sources: i j OnlineUniversities.com Information Provided By: http://www.onlineuniversities.com/ +0 II-- Video games have both positive and negative effects on the human brain. They can be used to educate through repetition and feedback, but they also have some less-positive side effocts: The Neurology of Gaming The parts of the brain impacted by games areas of the brain by provoking certain reactions: Different gaming scenarios and situations affect different Game play involves repeated actions that strengthen the brain cell connections PREMOTOR & PARIETAL CORTEX Games that require real-time action, like "Space Invader, activate these areas, FRONTAL LOBE One study claimed frequent players can get 'video game brain.' This means key parts of their frontal lobe become underused, which can alter moods. underlying memory and learning. which control PREFRONTAL sensory movement. CORTEX Games that require logical thinking, like "Othello' and Tetris', activate this area, which controls decision making. DOPAMINE Dopamine, which is involved in learning and feelings of reward, is released in the brain's striatum during video game play. DORSAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX Immediately after firing a weapon in a video game, players show greater activity in this area, which controls cognition and planning. ROSTRAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX & AMYGDALA Areas that resolve emotional conflict showed less activity while players fired a weapon and soon afterward. Studies say players may suppress their emotional response to cope with their violent actions. The effects of violent video games When gamers play frequently, there's a decrease in prefrontal lobe activity. This can lead to altered moods and aggressive behavior, which can last even after the game is turned off. One week of violent game play can lead to lower activation of the left inferior frontal lobe during emotional tasks and also in the anterior cingulate cortex during numerical tasks. - Those who play high-aggression games are significantly more anxious than those who don't. Playing violent games increases aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors in the short The positive and negative effects of video game Depending on what area of the brain is being tested, studies can produce very different results. and long-term. Games that require teamwork help develop collaboration skills Games designed to help Violent content in Violent game play children manage health problems like asthma are more effective than games increases aggressive responses increases active suppression of emotional responses doctors' pamphlets Improves ability to reason and solve new problems independently of previously acquired knowledge Long-term playing can lead to obesity, attention problems, and poor school performance Increased risk of Can improve peripheral vision, way finding skills, hand-eye coordination and seizures in people with epilepsy or photosensitivity disorder mental rotation MALE GAMERS VS. FEMALE GAMERS On average, male brains show a much greater activation in the mesocorticolimbic center (associated with reward and addiction) than female brains. This amount correlated directly with how much advancement they made through the game-play. X Sources: dana.org, ieeexplore.ieee.org, serendip.brynmawr.edu, livescience.com, sclencedaly.com, indiatimes.com, serendip.brynmawr.edu X Sources: i j OnlineUniversities.com Information Provided By: http://www.onlineuniversities.com/ +0 II-- Video games have both positive and negative effects on the human brain. They can be used to educate through repetition and feedback, but they also have some less-positive side effocts: The Neurology of Gaming The parts of the brain impacted by games areas of the brain by provoking certain reactions: Different gaming scenarios and situations affect different Game play involves repeated actions that strengthen the brain cell connections PREMOTOR & PARIETAL CORTEX Games that require real-time action, like "Space Invader, activate these areas, FRONTAL LOBE One study claimed frequent players can get 'video game brain.' This means key parts of their frontal lobe become underused, which can alter moods. underlying memory and learning. which control PREFRONTAL sensory movement. CORTEX Games that require logical thinking, like "Othello' and Tetris', activate this area, which controls decision making. DOPAMINE Dopamine, which is involved in learning and feelings of reward, is released in the brain's striatum during video game play. DORSAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX Immediately after firing a weapon in a video game, players show greater activity in this area, which controls cognition and planning. ROSTRAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX & AMYGDALA Areas that resolve emotional conflict showed less activity while players fired a weapon and soon afterward. Studies say players may suppress their emotional response to cope with their violent actions. The effects of violent video games When gamers play frequently, there's a decrease in prefrontal lobe activity. This can lead to altered moods and aggressive behavior, which can last even after the game is turned off. One week of violent game play can lead to lower activation of the left inferior frontal lobe during emotional tasks and also in the anterior cingulate cortex during numerical tasks. - Those who play high-aggression games are significantly more anxious than those who don't. Playing violent games increases aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors in the short The positive and negative effects of video game Depending on what area of the brain is being tested, studies can produce very different results. and long-term. Games that require teamwork help develop collaboration skills Games designed to help Violent content in Violent game play children manage health problems like asthma are more effective than games increases aggressive responses increases active suppression of emotional responses doctors' pamphlets Improves ability to reason and solve new problems independently of previously acquired knowledge Long-term playing can lead to obesity, attention problems, and poor school performance Increased risk of Can improve peripheral vision, way finding skills, hand-eye coordination and seizures in people with epilepsy or photosensitivity disorder mental rotation MALE GAMERS VS. FEMALE GAMERS On average, male brains show a much greater activation in the mesocorticolimbic center (associated with reward and addiction) than female brains. This amount correlated directly with how much advancement they made through the game-play. X Sources: dana.org, ieeexplore.ieee.org, serendip.brynmawr.edu, livescience.com, sclencedaly.com, indiatimes.com, serendip.brynmawr.edu X Sources: i j OnlineUniversities.com Information Provided By: http://www.onlineuniversities.com/ +0 II-- Video games have both positive and negative effects on the human brain. They can be used to educate through repetition and feedback, but they also have some less-positive side effocts: The Neurology of Gaming The parts of the brain impacted by games areas of the brain by provoking certain reactions: Different gaming scenarios and situations affect different Game play involves repeated actions that strengthen the brain cell connections PREMOTOR & PARIETAL CORTEX Games that require real-time action, like "Space Invader, activate these areas, FRONTAL LOBE One study claimed frequent players can get 'video game brain.' This means key parts of their frontal lobe become underused, which can alter moods. underlying memory and learning. which control PREFRONTAL sensory movement. CORTEX Games that require logical thinking, like "Othello' and Tetris', activate this area, which controls decision making. DOPAMINE Dopamine, which is involved in learning and feelings of reward, is released in the brain's striatum during video game play. DORSAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX Immediately after firing a weapon in a video game, players show greater activity in this area, which controls cognition and planning. ROSTRAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX & AMYGDALA Areas that resolve emotional conflict showed less activity while players fired a weapon and soon afterward. Studies say players may suppress their emotional response to cope with their violent actions. The effects of violent video games When gamers play frequently, there's a decrease in prefrontal lobe activity. This can lead to altered moods and aggressive behavior, which can last even after the game is turned off. One week of violent game play can lead to lower activation of the left inferior frontal lobe during emotional tasks and also in the anterior cingulate cortex during numerical tasks. - Those who play high-aggression games are significantly more anxious than those who don't. Playing violent games increases aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors in the short The positive and negative effects of video game Depending on what area of the brain is being tested, studies can produce very different results. and long-term. Games that require teamwork help develop collaboration skills Games designed to help Violent content in Violent game play children manage health problems like asthma are more effective than games increases aggressive responses increases active suppression of emotional responses doctors' pamphlets Improves ability to reason and solve new problems independently of previously acquired knowledge Long-term playing can lead to obesity, attention problems, and poor school performance Increased risk of Can improve peripheral vision, way finding skills, hand-eye coordination and seizures in people with epilepsy or photosensitivity disorder mental rotation MALE GAMERS VS. FEMALE GAMERS On average, male brains show a much greater activation in the mesocorticolimbic center (associated with reward and addiction) than female brains. This amount correlated directly with how much advancement they made through the game-play. X Sources: dana.org, ieeexplore.ieee.org, serendip.brynmawr.edu, livescience.com, sclencedaly.com, indiatimes.com, serendip.brynmawr.edu X Sources: i j OnlineUniversities.com Information Provided By: http://www.onlineuniversities.com/ +0 II--