Somewhere deep down, we always suspected whether video games are having some negative impact on us. A latest scientific study has just discovered a correlation.
Professors from Université de Montréal and McGill University recently published a paper about the relation between games and mental health. The paper, published in Molecular Psychiatry, talks about the impact first-person shooter games have on the gray matter present inside the hippocampus region of the brain; it is the part responsible for converting short-term memories into long-term memories.
The project leads, Gregory West and Veronique Bohbot enrolled people between the age group of 18-30 years, and introduced them to video games for the first time. They were kept under observation for four years while getting split into two groups. The first groups consisted of people who were using the spatial memory (memory about spaces in real-world) to navigate, while the second group consisted of people using their caudate nucleus (the part responsible for forming habits). The final results of the research showed that most of the people playing games for more than 6 hours a day saw a drop in hippocampal activity and an associated increase in caudate nucleus activity.
We know that you didn’t understand any of it, so here is a simpler version: most of the people who played video games for a long duration saw a decline in their ability to navigate through spaces, while slowly making playing video games as a habit. It looks like our parents were right: playing video games is a habit (and a bad habit, at that).
However, the findings could signify grave consequences. According to West:
“People with reduced grey matter in the hippocampus are more at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder and depression when they’re younger and even Alzheimer’s disease when they’re older.”
Unfortunately, there is a direct correlation between the number of play hours and the impact on the brain.
If you have ever played a first-person shooting game, you would know how it goes. Most games are built with simple designs where the movement and navigation have no resemblance to real life. The only goal is to reach certain points as soon as possible. Prolonged gaming can trick the brain into thinking that the navigation shown in the games is the right one, instead of the one you use in real life.
However, another interesting point was found in the study. Another group was involved in the study that played 3D games instead of the traditional FPS ones. It was observed that the damage to their brains was minimal or non-existent. This might imply that the problem is with the perspective of the video games, not with the games.
It must be kept in mind that the findings are just from a single study and are not conclusive in any way. Even though the arguments put forward are quite strong, it is too early to establish these findings as “facts.”
However, as you know, “better safe than sorry” is a good thing to remember. So if possible, try to avoid the FPS games and switch to 3D platforms like Super Mario Odyssey. It would still be enjoyable, along with keeping your brain intact.
