The Effects of Gaming on the Brain

Several studies show that gaming has a beneficial effect on the human brain. Playing video games can improve parts of the brain and decision-making skills as well as help people be social and feel relaxed.

A study by the National Institutes of Health shows that playing video games has benefits for the brain: “A study of nearly 2,000 children found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games” (NIH). The research done by the National Institutes of Health shows that three hours of gaming a day does improve a couple of parts of the brain. NIH also stated in that same study that “Functional MRI brain imaging analyses found that … children who played at least three hours of videogames per day showed more brain activity in frontal brain regions that are associated with more cognitively demanding tasks and less brain activity in brain regions related to vision” (NIH). 

Georgia State University did a brain activity study on children who played video games as well and found that “Frequent players of video games show superior sensorimotor decision-making skills and enhanced activity in key regions of the brain as compared to non-players” (GSU). Georgia State University also stated in that study that “‘These results indicate that video game playing potentially enhances several of the subprocesses for sensation, perception, and mapping to action to improve decision-making skills,” the authors wrote. “These findings begin to illuminate how video game playing alters the brain in order to improve task performance and their potential implications for increasing task-specific activity’” (GSU). According to these two studies gaming has a beneficial effect on the brain when played for three or more hours.

Many people play games to relax after a stressful day so a study conducted by Dr. Carmen Russoniello found that the three games that were used in the study had huge effects on people’s moods. Another study published in the Annual review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine indicated that video games can help “reduce participants' negative moods including anger, depression and fatigue” (Lukachick). PopCap Games also organized a study. “Preliminary results of the study indicated there may be mental health benefits from playing video games” (Lukachick). 

Video games aren’t just about relieving stress. Some people play video games because of the social aspect that a lot of games have integrated into them. These games let people play with others across the world and make friends. People that like to teach others to play video games, make new friends, or play with friends get to enjoy themselves and relax. 

Works Cited

Ferguson, Christopher J. and Olson, Cheryl K. Friends, Fun, Frustration, and Fantasy: Child Motivations for Video Game Play. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 14 Mar. 2012.

Lukachick, Joy. Video Games Could Help Reduce Depression, Fatigue. Chattanooga Times Free Press, 27 Aug. 2009.

“Study: Video Game Players Show Enhanced Brain Activity, Decision-Making Skill - Georgia State University News - College of Arts and Sciences, Press Releases, Research, University Research - Science & Technology.” Georgia State News Hub, 11 July 2022, news.gsu.edu/2022/07/11/study-video-game-players-show-enhanced-brain-activity-decision-making-skill/.

“Video Gaming May Be Associated with Better Cognitive Performance in Children.” National Institutes of Health (NIH), 24 Oct. 2022, nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/video-gaming-may-be-associated-better-cognitive-performance-children.