What Effect Do Video Games Have on Our Brain?

“Stay away from the screen!” “If you keep playing, your brain will melt!” “That thing will make you stupid!” We’ve all heard some variation of these phrases, with greater or lesser intensity. But today we have professional leagues moving millions of dollars in prizes, personal trainers to help kids play better online, university teams, and entire facilities dedicated to training, streaming, and connecting with fans worldwide. So what is the real effect of video games on us? What do they do to our brains and bodies?

It's hard to find an 11 or 12-year-old who isn't talking about Fortnite. Many schools have declared a state of alert because their students stop doing homework and spend all day playing. I admit that sounds a bit familiar, with keyboards confiscated until further notice and Famicom clones hidden in closets. We want to play. We love to play. The stimulation is wonderful, and we truly feel it makes us more attentive. Faster. Better. But the classic adult interpretation boils down to “We don’t understand it = It’s bad”. So it’s a good time to adopt a more scientific approach and settle differences. What effects do video games have on us? What kind of influence do they exert on our bodies and minds?

Video Games: Sound Mind, Sound Body?

The folks at Wired decided to find out with the help of Matthew Higginbotham, better known as Akaadian in the League of Legends circuit. The plan is to compare the results of a series of cognitive tests pitting a professional player against a casual player. The first phase uses the Dynavision, a light panel that measures reaction time. The second phase assesses cognitive processing under a specific load, also focused on reaction, but the user has a voice in their head telling them the opposite of what they should do. Finally, they moved to a 3D sphere tracking test. The results were conclusive: Compared with a normal population, Akaadian is in the 98th percentile, while the Wired journalist ranks between the 60th and 70th percentile.

It’s also very important to consider the type of game. For example, action titles have positive effects on perception, spatial cognition, and attention, although in the past a Canadian study highlighted the risk of Alzheimer’s. We must be careful when generalizing these effects, since excellent hand-eye coordination with a gamepad doesn’t necessarily make us better at catching a ball or hitting a tennis ball. Another interesting detail is that experts recommend multiple short sessions to optimize our skills rather than a marathon, and they were unable to detect “cognitive damage,” that is, a loss of performance: The impact is positive, or null.

The most pronounced negative effects of video games usually manifest in the body itself, whether as a general loss of physical fitness, or in the form of repetitive stress injuries. Fingers, wrists, elbows, neck, shoulders, and even thumbs (tendonitis) are often affected. This is where session duration comes into play. Moderation and small exercises with hands and arms (five to ten minutes, twice a day) can make a big difference.