Generally, parents show concern about the number of hours their child spends playing video games. Meanwhile, a recent study shows that this hobby can benefit these children later in their life. According to the study, children who play such games have a lesser risk of developing cognitive disease or dementia.
The study was published recently in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
The authors suggested that video gaming boosts up the cognitive ability of the child and also helps with emotional behavior. This practice plays an important role in the brain health of the individual in older age.
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The researchers instructed the volunteers who played the video game “Super Mario 64”. Previous researches show that this particular game helps improve brain health. It plays a role in improving memory and the functioning of the brain.
The findings of the study show that the individuals who play this game have better working memory as compared to their counterparts. Also, the game provides a better cognitive ability that helps protect from dementia later in life.
The researchers took notes of the cognitive ability of the participants at different intervals during the study. This included different factors such as working memory and reaction time of the person. Also, they noted the attention span and problem-solving ability of the participant.
The findings of the study had a narrow difference in the results. However, the data showed that the participants who played video games during and before the study had improved working memory. This in turn shows that video gaming improved the cognitive ability of these individuals.
Dr. Marc Palaus, Ph.D. is the lead author of this study. He said that the individuals who played such games in their childhood still have a better working memory. They also show better skills in problem-solving than others.
The study shows that the people who even played such games before the study had similar results. They show better stimulus-response and better processing ability.
Dr. Palaus also said that people with experience in video gaming have a better ability to process different 3D visuals and objects. However, after training every individual showed the same skills and abilities and there was minor or no difference at all.
The findings of the study show that video games have a long-lasting impact on the brain of the person. Even when a person stops playing these games, they sustain their cognitive ability for a long period. This helps these people later in life and prevent neurological disorders such as dementia.
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Dr. Palaus also explained the best video games for this purpose. He said that the games with more challenging tasks are better at improving cognitive ability. These games motivate the person for more challenges and improve their brain health.
Another important factor to note in this research is that the individuals who participated in this study were healthy. They were all young and educated. The researchers also included a small number of volunteers for this study. This shows that this study might not be widely applicable. However, it opens door to more research on the effect of video games in the future.
