Brain Effects from Video Games

Technology has emerged and pervaded the lives of many people as it becomes more advanced and more a part of society. A good and prominent example of this is video games. Even with the leisure and perceived positive effects of video games, their effect on the brain is a cause for concern among many in the scientific and academic communities.

While many of the effects could absolutely be good, there are other effects that could be bad with age and stage of brain development being important factors to keep in mind. One factor that clearly aggravates the situation of people playing video games and it might or does affect the brain is the fact that the younger people who still have the development of their brains in motion.

As such, verifying whether or not there are effects on cognition and that development of the brain structure is an important item to consider. That precise subject was the focus of a study by Shams et al. (2015). Specifically, they looked at the confluence of the effects of video games on cognition and brain structure and how this does or does not dovetail with implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Shams was able to capture a three-year period from 2011 to 2014.

While the effect does not seem to be across the board with all video games, there are certain types of video games that seem to have effects on brain structure and cognition. While there is concern with many that the change in brain structure and patterns is often manifested in the form of degradation and regression, these subclasses of video games seem to improve and enhance cognition. Meaning, it was found by Shams that the video games in question can be used to train and improve the brain.

Shams does admit that the body of research relating to this general topic is very much in its nascent stage and much more work is necessary. AT the same time, at least some results and outcomes from using certain types of video games would seem to be positive rather than negative (Shams et al., 2015). The enhancement to cognition seems to not be limited to those that are younger and still developing. Indeed, Ballesteros et al.

(2015) did a study that looked at how certain non-action games can enhance the cognition in older adults (Ballesteros et al., 2015). There are other games, however, that are deemed to have a negative effect on people. It is often ascribed to children and young adults but there seem to be implications to all age spectrums, even if people that play video games are mostly younger. Indeed, violent video games are of high concern to many people.

Work by Gentile (2017) in particular would seem to reveal that the effects are extensive and usually biological in nature. While mental effects are on that list, there are also ones that affect other parts of the body, in whole or in part. Gentile explains that violent video games seem to have effects on things like salivary cortisol, arousal of all sorts and aggressive thought patterns in children.

Other aspects and dimensions that are apparently in play is the duality known as "fight or flight" as well as impulsivity in general. It would seem that video games, per Gentile, do not create violent thoughts but they do indeed seem to increase them if they are already present to some degree (Gentile, Bender & Anderson, 2017). There are other effects, both good and bad, that seem to be incurred and caused by video games.

One type of such a response is referred to as an "oscillatory" response. A study was done by Salminen and Ravaja (2007) regarding this subject with the video game tested with being Super Monkey Ball 2. The game was played while the subjects were hooked up to an Electroencephalography (EEG) machine. The point of the game was to steer a monkey int a goal while concurrently collecting bananas in exchange for points.

Not only were there clear effects from playing the game, the effects seemed to vary based on what precisely was going on within the game at the time the player had the changes. For example, picking up bananas seemed to cause decrease theta activation on the central electrodes. There was also a decreased high alpha activation on the frontal electrodes and increased beta activation on frontal electrodes. Falling off of the game board entirely led to decreased central theta activation and increased fronto-central beta activation.

In short, a positive aspect of the game and its outcomes (picking up bananas) led one way and losing a life in the game led to another outcome (Salminen & Ravaja, 2007). Even with the fact that so many of the brain effects known about so far are nominal, fleeting and positive, the impact of technology on the brain is not something that is in as much dispute as one might think.

Indeed, in addition to the negative effects mentioned earlier, there is clearly a link between some manifestations of technology use (e.g. video games) and what ends up happening to a good many of those same users. Those brain effects and feelings include loneliness, the aforementioned aggression and general psychiatric health. There is clearly a brain-related effect of some sort when it comes to all forms of video games, whether it be good or bad or whether it be regressing in nature or rehabilitating.

Even with this being clear, this study also makes it apparent and stated that the research on this subject is still very early and incomplete in nature (Bavelier et al., 2011). Conclusion There are a few things that are easily apparent from the brief literature review done for this report. Indeed, there are clear signs that video games affect the brain on one or more levels and those.