Playing Video Games can Increase Brain Volume

Playing video games, such as Super Mario, not only helps tune hand-eye coordination, but also enlarges brain regions associated with memory and spatial thinking.

The study, conducted by researchers at Max Planck Institute for Human Development, found a causal link between video games and brain volume.

For the research, participants were asked to play Super Mario 64 for two months for about 30 minutes a day. A separate control group didn't play any video games.

Researchers then compared the MRI scans taken before and after the study period to determine whether playing video games changed the brain volume.

They found that regions associated with memory, spatial thinking and strategizing were significantly larger in people who played these games than those who did not.

Related research had found that video games slow memory decline in older adults. Duke University researchers had earlier reported that people who regularly play video games tend to "see more" in a visual field and have better decision-making abilities than other people.

 "While previous studies have shown differences in brain structure of video gamers, the present study can demonstrate the direct causal link between video gaming and a volumetric brain increase. This proves that specific brain regions can be trained by means of video games", says study leader Simone Kühn, senior scientist at the Center for Lifespan Psychology at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development.

Importantly, these games could help people suffering from mental disorders such as Schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

"Many patients will accept video games more readily than other medical interventions", added psychiatrist Jürgen Gallinat, co-author of the study at Charité University Medicine St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus, according to a news release.