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Playing video games has been linked with increases in the thickness of some parts of the brain.

A study published in PLOS One reports that "a robust positive association" exists between the amounts of time teens reported spending on video games each week and the thickness of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and left frontal eye fields (FEF).


The DLPFC is associated with the management of processes like working memory and planning, while the FEF deal with visual attention and voluntary eye movement -- both extensively involved when playing games. Cortical thickness may be related to the numbers of complex connections in those regions of the brain.

The association between the amounts someone plays and the thickness of the DLPFC and the FEF does not establish cause and effect but the researchers add that behavioural evidence from other studies suggests video games might be the cause.

In one such study participants were shown to be more efficient at using sensory evidence if they played action games. Those who did not habitually play games achieved similar results after they were given 50 hours of action game training.

Suggestions for future research include examining whether particular genres of video game are associated with particular changes in the brain or perceptual decision-making success.