
A new study reports that playing videogames -- specifically Tetris -- improves the brain's efficiency, increases its size, and helps it resist late-life deterioration.
The Mind Reaseach Network's study, funded by the makers of Tetris, observed the brains of adolescent girls with MRI scans before and after a three-month test period. During this time, the girls participated in "challenging visuospatial tasks," operationally defined as a number of Tetris gameplay sessions.
The results show that certain areas of the cortex (shown in red above) increase in thickness after prolonged focus on these sorts of tasks, thereby making the individual more resistant to mental decline that may occur later in life. Other areas (shown in blue) function with greater efficiency after Tetris.
So the next time someone tells you that vieogames rot your brain, point them to this study, and perfectly contradictory scientific evidence.
The Q Opinion on Activision/IW?
Listen Up 2009 Listen Up Awards
Eddie Inzauto Turning On My Sexy Lady
FilmPLOSION! Up Blu-ray Review
Brendon Lindsey When Game Journalism Gets Lazy
Pro Tip Pro Tip: Resident Evil 5: Lost in Nightmares
OneWordReview One Word Review: God of War
Head 2 Head H2H Deathmatch: Bobby Kotick vs. Major Nelson
Jason Fanelli Sex or Violence: Lesser Evil?
Tyler Cameron Do Achievements Ruin Videogames?
OLD SKOOL Ups and Downs of the 8-Bit RPG: Dragon Warrior
VS Node VS Node: Do You Want Files With That?
Mike Murphy Heavy Rain Has Revolutionized Videogames
Top 5 Takedown Top Five PS3 and 360 "Fails"
Dan Crabtree FOX News: The DS is for Pedophiles
Matthew Erazo BioShock 2: The Anti-BioShock
I suddenly feel so much better about spending hours in my youth playing Tetris.