Parents are often concerned about the harmful effects of video games on their children. From mental health, social problems, to inactivity
But the results of a large US study published Monday in JAMA Network Open. Indicates that there may be cognitive benefits associated with popular hobbies.Video games can develop children’s brains.
Lead author Bader Chaarani, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont, told AFP he was naturally interested in the topic as an avid gamer specializing in neuroimaging.
Previous research has focused on the harmful effects. Linking gaming to depression and increased aggression
However, these studies were limited by relatively few participants. Especially those involved in brain imaging, Charaani said.
For the new research, Chaarani and colleagues analyzed data from a large and ongoing adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
They look at survey responses. Cognitive test results and brain images from approximately 2,000 9- and 10-year-olds divided into two groups: The group that never played the game and groups that play for three hours or more a day.
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This criterion was chosen because it exceeds the American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidelines for one or two hours of video game screen time for older children.
Motivation and memory
Each group was assessed in two tasks. The first involves seeing an arrow pointing left or right, with children asking them to press left or right as quickly as possible.
They were also instructed not to press anything if they saw a “stop” signal to gauge how well they were able to control their impulses.
In the second event, they showed people’s faces. and then asked if the pictures that followed later showed that they matched or not. to test their working memory.
After using statistical methods to control variables that could yield distorted results, such as parental income, IQ, and psychosis, The team found that video game players consistently performed better in both missions.
while they work The child’s brain is scanned using a magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) function. The video gamer’s brain shows more activity in areas related to attention and memory.
“The results raise the intriguing possibility that video games may provide a cognitive training experience with measurable neurological effects,” the authors conclude in their paper.
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It is not currently known whether improved learning performance will stimulate more gaming or its effect, Chaarani said. The team hopes for a more definitive answer as the study continues. and they looked at the same child again in their old age.
It also helps rule out other potential factors such as your child’s home environment, physical activity and sleep quality. Future studies may benefit from knowing what kind of games children are playing. Although 10-year-olds tend to enjoy action games like Fortnite or Assassin’s Creed.
“Of course, too much screen time has a negative impact on overall mental health and fitness,” Sharani said.
But he said the results show that video games may use more screen time than watching videos on YouTube, which has no visible cognitive effects.
