The passion for shooters can lead to a decrease in the volume of gray matter in the brain, which makes a person vulnerable to depression and contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s disease in old age.
This is stated in a study by psychology professor Gregory West (Gregory West) from University of Montreal. West’s report was published in the scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry and other publications.
For 4 years, the scientist observed the brain processes of members of a group of volunteers aged 18 to 30 years. 85% of gamers who spent more than 6 hours a week watching shooters had a decrease in gray matter in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for short—term memory.
“People with a reduced gray matter content in the hippocampus are more at risk of developing post—traumatic stress disorder and depression in their youth, and even Alzheimer’s disease in old age,” West noted.
Gregory West also found a way to train the hippocampus using video games — 3D platformers are best suited for this, where gamers need to find a way through the game level by memorizing the signs of visited locations.
During the experiment, a group of participants played Mario 64 for 90 hours, after which a new gray matter was formed in the hippocampus of all the subjects.
West hopes that the results of his work will help developers better design levels and set new challenges for game design.
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