Video game playing found beneficial for the brain

Playing the Super Mario 64 video game causes increased size in brain regions responsible for spatial orientation, memory formation and strategic planning as well as fine motor skills, a new study conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Charité University Medicine St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus has found.

The positive effects of video gaming may also be useful in therapeutic interventions targeting psychiatric disorders.

[DestinyHeroDoomlord]

No doubt, but physically I see no benefit

[FlyingFoxy]

There was another article saying it's good for better controlling your dreams (supposedly) as well as increasing reaction times in the real world. So physically it would help then, even if only a little bit.

[Thehyph]

I read a good study about this back in 2006 or so.

Competitive gameplay has been found to increase alpha waves in the brain just like in competitive sports.

I thoroughly believed it at the time because I was doing league play for cs1.6 then. If you didn't get psyched and bring your A-game then the whole team suffers.

[DestinyHeroDoomlord]

I can see hand eye co-ordination, but like you said only a little. Since it doesn't actually build your muscles (could be wrong).

[Stoppokingme]

It's called lucid dreaming, and it's awesome.

[Thehyph]

@Destiny

You do retain muscle memory though. The more you practice at something specific, the faster you can react to it. Whether or not that translates into a quicker coordination versus random events: I don't know.

[hay]

Strongly improves hand-eye coordination, which improves your physical self-awareness, precision, reflexes, creates new synaptic links with each new game played, world visited, story lived. Makes brain pretty much used to creating new neural paths. It allows you to simulate alternatives, therefore be more aware of the future, interactions and so on.
Real life physical benefits are pretty impressive.

[ninjahunter]

I read something in regards to high teir Strategic, and fighting game players having reaction times 1/5th the length of the standard person.

However, it seems that it takes a lot of training to get there, and the standard butt sitter wont see similar gains.

[NarooN]

Play DDR. You'll see a nice physical benefit then, lol.

[DestinyHeroDoomlord]

Me and my one friend played it religiously when I was a bit younger, after the first weeks pain we definitely saw the benefit haha

[DestinyHeroDoomlord]

When I'm talking about no physical benefits, I'm referring to the standard 'sit and play'

[ElementX]

Next week video games will be found to cause cancer. Seriously there are conflicting reports every other week

[rezzah]

I assume because the effects are not singular, meaning some changes will be bad while others good.

[ElementX]

How about the back and forth arguing about violence and video games?

[rezzah]

That is perception of individuals. Regardless of something being stated good or bad there will always be people who argue the opposite.

[Imonaboat1]

I made an informative speech about benefit of video games once. Got an A and the professor said it was one of the best speeches.

And yes video games can have both physical and mental benefits.

[TheEnigma313]

Games are good for the brain. Try playing a game like Braid. Your problem solving skill will be greatly increased after beating that one.

[Ares84HU]

You won't see this on FOX news.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Sadly I doubt many news stations will do anything with this...

[obelix01]

But you would see a news special by a stupid blonde telling everyone how video games are destroying Americas youth.

[obelix01]

I played GTA online yesterday for 6 hrs straight. I feel like a genius today.

[MAULxx]

I am aware of all my surroundings.
I can react before you can even think to.
I can anticipate, solve & complete complex problems in nanoseconds.

"A Superhero?"

No, a
Video Gamer.

[Benjaminkno]

There are benefits and there are drawbacks to video-gaming.

Speaking only about the negative, it can cause problems with social interaction, relationships, ADD and ADHD. It can cause lack of motivation for everything else and of course mild carpal tunnel. Oh yeah, and it's also addicting.

But all in all, sporadic amounts of video games for anyone is good, unless you're obese or prone to seizures.

[Erdrick]

those issues aren't caused by playing games, people with those problems tend to gravitate towards playing games - just like how violent people play violent video games (it's not the games that make them violent) and social outcasts gravitate towards illegal behaviors (drugs). but yeah, obviously too much of anything can be bad and lead to problems...

[aLiEnViSiToR]

Balance is the key here... in everything actually.

[sAVAge_bEaST]

For the love of the game, sunn.