Brain structure key to faster learning in gaming, suggests groundbreaking study
10:35 AM EST, January 23, 2024
There are currently over 3.7 billion gamers worldwide. The number of people being drawn into virtual entertainment increases daily, marking it as a global phenomenon. The impact of computer games on the brain is a subject matter that has drawn the interest of scientists worldwide.
Gamers may surpass non-gamers, or those who play irregularly, in terms of attention maintenance and perception, information processing speed, and switching between stimuli, according to numerous cross-sectional studies. However, the role of individual player characteristics like brain structure specifics on performance remains unclear.
Researchers from several Polish scientific institutions, including SWPS University, Jagiellonian University, the M. Nałęcz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the M. Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, have been studying this matter. Their findings have been published in Scientific Reports.
StarCraft II utilised for scientific exploration
Polish scientists investigated if the brain structure (particularly the white matter) influences how swiftly we grasp the concept of the game StarCraft II and which skills we develop during gameplay. Real-Time Strategies (RTS) games like StarCraft II demand high engagement from the player, involving processing visual information, accurately executing complex objectives over time, visual-motor coordination, and translating mental plans into motor actions. The results of players' actions are immediate.
In-depth studies on the impact of white matter in the context of computer games
The brain's white matter is a fundamental part of the central nervous system, responsible for information transmission within this system and crucial for cognitive function. The study incorporated individuals who had no previous experience with this game; their brain activity was investigated using structural magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography (EEG) sessions.
Participants' evaluations were taken before training, after 10 hours of training, and then after 30 and 60 hours. Relevant information about the participants' age, education, gaming experience, and professional background was collected as well. All participants undertook training in the game before the study commenced.
Factors determining success
The research probed connections between white matter characteristics (prior to video game training) and subsequent training accomplishments in StarCraft II. Results indicated that higher coherence of white matter in specific brain areas (anterior portion of the internal capsule, cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus), associated with motor functions or decision-making, led to higher proficiency and improved outcomes in StarCraft II.
Implications of the findings
The findings revealed that some individuals might have neuroanatomical predispositions for playing RTS games. This means that the structural features of an individual's brain may influence the speed at which they learn gameplay.
The ramifications of this discovery
Dr Natalia Kowalczyk-Grębska believes that these findings could potentially assist in identifying unique brain structural characteristics inherent in professional e-sport players. It also provides additional insights into the neuronal basis of skill acquisition.
The research also discovered that the brain structures responsible for acquiring game-related skills are different in young and older people. In younger individuals, they are located in the brain's subcortical areas, while in older individuals, they are found in the cortical brain's frontal areas.
