Increased Cortical Thickness in Professional On-Line Gamers.
- Author:
Gi Jung HYUN
1
;
Yong Wook SHIN
;
Bung Nyun KIM
;
Jae Hoon CHEONG
;
Seong Nam JIN
;
Doug Hyun HAN
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, Chung Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. hduk@yahoo.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
On-line game;
Cortical thickness;
Frontal cortex;
Cognitive flexibility
- MeSH:
Brain;
Follow-Up Studies;
Pliability;
Prefrontal Cortex;
Rabeprazole;
Video Games;
Wisconsin
- From:Psychiatry Investigation
2013;10(4):388-392
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The bulk of recent studies have tested whether video games change the brain in terms of activity and cortical volume. However, such studies are limited by several factors including cross-sectional comparisons, co-morbidity, and short-term follow-up periods. In the present study, we hypothesized that cognitive flexibility and the volume of brain cortex would be correlated with the career length of on-line pro-gamers. METHODS: High-resolution magnetic resonance scans were acquired in twenty-three pro-gamers recruited from StarCraft pro-game teams. We measured cortical thickness in each individual using FreeSurfer and the cortical thickness was correlated with the career length and the performance of the pro-gamers. RESULTS: Career length was positively correlated with cortical thickness in three brain regions: right superior frontal gyrus, right superior parietal gyrus, and right precentral gyrus. Additionally, increased cortical thickness in the prefrontal cortex was correlated with winning rates of the pro-game league. Increased cortical thickness in the prefrontal and parietal cortices was also associated with higher performance of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that in individuals without pathologic conditions, regular, long-term playing of on-line games is associated with volume changes in the prefrontal and parietal cortices, which are associated with cognitive flexibility.
