Violent video games alter young men's brain functions

The Scientific Method At Work!

Changes in the part of the brain associated with cognitive function and emotional control were found in young adult men after one week of playing violent video games, according to study results presented by Indiana University School of Medicine researchers at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

This is the first time researchers,  have conducted an experimental study that showed a direct relationship between playing violent video games over an extended period of time and a change in brain regions associated with cognitive function and emotional control.

 The controversy over whether or not violent video games are potentially harmful to players has been debated for many years. There has been little scientific evidence demonstrating that the games have a prolonged negative neurological effect.

Yang Wang, M.D., an assistant research professor in the IU Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences said:

For the first time, we have found that a sample of randomly assigned young adults showed less activation in certain frontal brain regions following a week of playing violent video games at home. The affected brain regions are important for controlling emotion and aggressive behavior.

PROCESS (PROCEDURE)

1. For the study, 28 healthy adult males, age 18 to 29, with low past exposure to violent video games were randomly assigned to two groups of 14. 
2. Members of the first group were instructed to play a shooting video game for 10 hours at home for one week and refrain from playing the following week. 
3. The second group did not play a video game at all during the two-week period.
4. Each of the 28 men underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis at the beginning of the study, with follow-up exams at one and two weeks. During fMRI, the participants completed an emotional interference task, pressing buttons according to the color of visually presented words. Words indicating violent actions were interspersed among nonviolent action words. In addition, the participants completed a cognitive inhibition counting task.  

RESULTS

THESE MRI IMAGES SHOW A LACK OF ACTIVATION IN THE FRONTAL LOBES AFTER JUST 1 WEEK OF PLAYING VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES.

The results showed that after one week of violent game play, the video game group members showed less activation in the left inferior frontal lobe during the emotional Stroop task and less activation in the anterior cingulate cortex during the counting Stroop task, compared to their baseline results and the results of the control group after one week. After the video game group refrained from game play for an additional week, the changes to the executive regions of the brain returned closer to the control group. Stroop task tests an individual’s ability to control cognitive flexibility and attention.

 CONCLUSION

Dr. Wang said:

These findings indicate that violent video game play has a long-term effect on brain functioning. These effects may translate into behavioral changes over longer periods of game play.

Dr. Wang said that another important point of the study was that the young men were supplied with laptop computers and played at home in their “natural environment.” Some of the previous research was done with players participating in a lab setting.

 QUESTIONS:

1)  Why do you think it was important to test young men who had never really played violent video games?

2)  Why was it important that there were two different groups?  One who played video games, and one who didn't?

3)  If you were a scientist who did not agree with their findings, what could you do to prove them wrong?