Study shows playing video games may damage brain

Posted Dec 27, 2007 at 5:29AM by QJ Staff Listed in: Wii, PS3, PSP, MMORPG, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PC Gaming Tags:

Video games might damage brains - Image 1

Department of Psychiatry of Taipei Veterans General Hospital Doctor Chou Yuan-hua showed that prolonged playing of violent video games may actually damage the brain.

The experiment took in 30 people, each one aged 25. The sample population then underwent physical examinations to monitor the blood circulation before and after playing a video game for 30 minutes.

Results showed that playing games actually decreased blood flow to the brain. Those who were exposed to violent games saw an even bigger drop in blood circulation. These have also been proven by previous studies.

Chou pointed out that the decrease in blood to the brain could potentially damage two parts of the internal organ: the frontal lobe of the brain and the anterior cingulate gyrus. The doctor also mentioned that based on previous clinical experiences, individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or depression have lower blood flow in their frontal lobes and anterior cingulate gyruses.

So does this mean that we have to give up our hobby of gaming? Well, far from it. While no conclusions have been made about this decrease in blood flow, the study should serve as a reminder for all you game-loving folks out there: playing for extended periods of time on a regular basis is not healthy.

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Comments

# ... — Silver-Tiger 2007-12-27 00:41

I think it's somehow logical.

Just take the example Manhunt: The sectors for feelings and emotions get less blooded 'cause else you couldn't kill the people in the game. This sounds stupid, but it makes sense, I think.

but then again it's my opinion, so prove me that I'm wrong, then I said nothing....

# Oh, comon — Payka 2007-12-27 00:42

Who cares? Even if the conclusion were come to that this were true which is what looks like is gonna happen, would anyone stop playing games? no. The researchers just have a grudge against games and therefore wanna give them a bad name.

# ~~ — ~~ 2007-12-27 01:10

Interesting but what do those parts of the brain exactly do ?

Nice to know that the frontal lobe of the brain and the anterior cingulate gyrus are getting damaged, but what is their function ?

# make up your minds please — Jowga 2007-12-27 01:10

They need to make up there minds

this link show that games are good for the brain:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-08-14-video-game-goodness_x.htm

this shows good hand eye coordination in doctors:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4685909/

# Authority? — Keith K 2007-12-27 01:24

Taipei Veterans General Hospital is not an authority on anything.. let alone neurological study..

When I hear this from Stanford, I'll give a damn.

# This might help — Guest 2007-12-27 01:29

The frontal lobe is used for thinking, speaking, decision-making and impulse control. The anterior cingulate gyrus helps control a persons' internal emotional responses.

:-)

# ... — DVSDevise 2007-12-27 01:30

Wow, a whole 30 people tested!

# That's an interesting theory — Guest 2007-12-27 01:33

Perhaps the lack of blood circulation is the method used by the brain to desensitize itself. There are still a lot of things we don't know about the human brain so don't count your theory out just yet. ;-)

# Blame the game — lordlad 2007-12-27 02:05

My friend just got cancer !!! Who can he blame?? God ?? No !!! I told him to just blame the game !!! Anythingbad in this world is caused by video games, what else ??!!??

# more testing needed — rollypoly 2007-12-27 02:56

i'd like to see similar tests done with various other forms of entertainment.

i don't see any reason why an interactive piece of entertainment should be worse than a passive form.

# absolutly — a7x 2007-12-27 03:03

agreed. its probably just an undercover group of angry parents or something like that

# UT3, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Gears.... — BrendanL 2007-12-27 03:10

Wow. Then this'll be bad. I was playing violent games all day on Christmas. My cousin got me Ninja Gaiden Sigma, he gave my brother UT3 and we got him The Orange Box. So for the whole day we ended up playing UT3, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, The Orange Box, Gears of War, Call of Duty 4, Warkawk and Bioshock. So my brain must be seriously damaged :P. Huh? For some reason I can't think properly, speak properly, make decisions properly, I can't control my impulse nor my internal emotional responses.

# yea well we are not sure yet — bmxadan 2007-12-27 03:43

When all factors and variables are taken into account and the prevalence of play is considered there is little evidence of serious acute adverse effects from moderate play. Adverse effects are likely to be relatively minor and temporary, resolving spontaneously with decreased frequency of play, or to affect only a small subgroup of players. People who play excessively are the most at risk from developing health problems, although more research is needed

# Sitting? — pnut78 2007-12-27 04:11

Perhaps the decreased bloodflow might have something to do with prolonged sitting. THis is too small of a sample and too many variables to be even slightly statistically significant

# WTF!?!?!?!?! — ISOHaven 2007-12-27 05:03

That's either a lame study or they purposely left out TONS of information.

They give absolutely no insight as to why a loss of blood flow is present. They give no comparisons. So like I said, this is either done on purpose or they're idiots.

So what happens when you sit down and watch a horror movie? Or an old war flick? The only difference is you aren't moving your hands around. Hell, a movie would then cause EVEN LESS blood flow!

The only thing their study proves is what happens when you sit still for a while.

# Bull*****! — rollinroll 2007-12-27 05:41

I'm getting tired of this "Studies has shown... blablabla" stuff!!!!!!

I don't fking care about this.

# Lies — Rehevkor 2007-12-27 05:52

This is simply untrue. I have been playing video games since I was four years old (I'm now 25) and as I grew up I tended to gravitate toward violent games (GTA series, FPS games, etc). While I was busy playing these games for several hours a day, I was also earning a BS degree in Computer Science and getting a job as a software developer. If video games caused brain damage, I would be a drooling idiot by now, not a successful employee in the IT industry.

This study, like every other study on the effects of video gaming, is a crock of FUD bull***** that is about as scientific as astrology.

# Yeah about that... — bottmint 2007-12-27 08:15

Heh i guess that i should continue with my game playing because i dont act on impulses and i could care less about my emo responses lol

# Agreed — bottmint 2007-12-27 08:19

Right there with you sans the being 25 (im only 15) and the BS degree and having a job lol

# ... blah blah — Nevers 2007-12-27 08:29

and walking in the sun gives you cancer... still gonna hike.

# Lol — JaXeRiR 2007-12-27 08:47

That was funny kudos

# Standing? — JaXeRiR 2007-12-27 08:50

Perhaps your butt gets so much pressure on it when you are sitting that your body must give your butt more blood that your brains get left without any.

Now we need to see a new test but with all the people standing instead of sitting.

# Well — JaXeRiR 2007-12-27 08:53

what couldn't give you cancer these days?

Hell, you can get cancer without doing anything.

'Eating broccoli might cause you to get epilepsy and turn you green'

LOL!

# lower GNP — sickboy1138 2007-12-27 09:20

taipei, taiwan--- where was your game machine made ... not in taiwan

their just mad cuz the chinese make more of our electronics than they do...lol

if they cant have a piece of that pie theyll lay a turd on it

# Agreed — mikekearn 2007-12-27 11:10

If anything, you would think that the mental activity required for an interactive piece of entertainment versus a passive one would INCREASE bloodflow to various parts of the brain.

# 4ucking hate these ppl — na2rul 2007-12-27 16:05

those scientists dont care bout us, only themselves and their big fat egos.

study show chocs are healthy - i go on a munchin rampage over dark choc(yuck) 4 a couple yrs..

(recently)study show chocs are BAD. - wtf? how cud that b caring 4 us?

study shows plenty sleep is gd. NOW wot? too much is BAD

scientists are only interestd in being the only right person

# ... — Khjar 2007-12-27 20:30

Depends what game it was, and if it was making you lose all the time, that can damage your brain.

On a philosophical note,

"The body can tell what hurts, you just have to listen."

BUT HEY, in their theory, a sad movie(you had to think about and use a remote control to press play) could make you want to kill yourself, damaging your brain.

# Huh — shabghai360 2007-12-27 21:30

not true, but I liked your comment. Funniest thing I have read all day.

And by the way humour is good for the brain as laughter releases chemicals into the bloodstream that are very healthy.

# bring it on — shabghai360 2007-12-27 21:33

I love these guys in white coats, they add a sense of fun to life because their research so often is just down and out funny.

# Hmm — MahSixFo 2007-12-28 01:06

Ok Everyone Stop Playing Video Games, Then QJ Will Be Out Of A Job

Kidding, This Is Rubbish

# lol. in addition to my rant — na2rul 2007-12-29 12:24

scientists "officialy" tested mobile phone signals are safe.

recently........thats right u guessed it. Scienpissheads NOW say there may still be risks - due to the fact that its too early to be certain since fones havent been around long enough.

that jus implicates that the 1st lot of pissheads were only interested in results regardless of it being legit/unlegit.

dont be surprised if cigerattes are announced as healthy. dont be surprised if sex is announced as unhealthy.

never trust scientists. trust in instincts

# not mine brain — demondirk 2008-01-01 13:58

but Mister Common Sense brain on the other well.....

# The sound of my hollow brain — FutureThinker 2008-01-02 15:00

Sence I play and have played lots of games over my life time, that must mean that when i knock on the front of my head It should sound hollow?

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