Amount of lifetime video gaming is positively associated with entorhinal, hippocampal and occipital volume
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Amount of lifetime video gaming is positively associated with entorhinal, hippocampal and occipital volume. / Kühn, S; Gallinat, J.
In: MOL PSYCHIATR, Vol. 19, No. 7, 07.2014, p. 842-7.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Amount of lifetime video gaming is positively associated with entorhinal, hippocampal and occipital volume
AU - Kühn, S
AU - Gallinat, J
PY - 2014/7
Y1 - 2014/7
N2 - Playing video games is a popular leisure activity among children and adults, and may therefore potentially influence brain structure. We have previously shown a positive association between probability of gray matter (GM) volume in the ventral striatum and frequent video gaming in adolescence. Here we set out to investigate structural correlates of video gaming in adulthood, as the effects observed in adolescents may reflect only a fraction of the potential neural long-term effects seen in adults. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 62 male adults, we computed voxel-based morphometry to explore the correlation of GM with the lifetime amount of video gaming (termed joystick years). We found a significant positive association between GM in bilateral parahippocamal region (entorhinal cortex) and left occipital cortex/inferior parietal lobe and joystick years (P<0.001, corrected for multiple comparisons). An exploratory analysis showed that the entorhinal GM volume can be predicted by the video game genres played, such as logic/puzzle games and platform games contributing positively, and action-based role-playing games contributing negatively. Furthermore, joystick years were positively correlated with hippocampus volume. The association of lifetime amount of video game playing with bilateral entorhinal cortex, hippocampal and occipital GM volume could reflect adaptive neural plasticity related to navigation and visual attention.
AB - Playing video games is a popular leisure activity among children and adults, and may therefore potentially influence brain structure. We have previously shown a positive association between probability of gray matter (GM) volume in the ventral striatum and frequent video gaming in adolescence. Here we set out to investigate structural correlates of video gaming in adulthood, as the effects observed in adolescents may reflect only a fraction of the potential neural long-term effects seen in adults. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 62 male adults, we computed voxel-based morphometry to explore the correlation of GM with the lifetime amount of video gaming (termed joystick years). We found a significant positive association between GM in bilateral parahippocamal region (entorhinal cortex) and left occipital cortex/inferior parietal lobe and joystick years (P<0.001, corrected for multiple comparisons). An exploratory analysis showed that the entorhinal GM volume can be predicted by the video game genres played, such as logic/puzzle games and platform games contributing positively, and action-based role-playing games contributing negatively. Furthermore, joystick years were positively correlated with hippocampus volume. The association of lifetime amount of video game playing with bilateral entorhinal cortex, hippocampal and occipital GM volume could reflect adaptive neural plasticity related to navigation and visual attention.
KW - Adult
KW - Entorhinal Cortex
KW - Gray Matter
KW - Hippocampus
KW - Humans
KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
KW - Male
KW - Neuroimaging
KW - Occipital Lobe
KW - Time Factors
KW - Video Games
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.1038/mp.2013.100
DO - 10.1038/mp.2013.100
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 23958958
VL - 19
SP - 842
EP - 847
JO - MOL PSYCHIATR
JF - MOL PSYCHIATR
SN - 1359-4184
IS - 7
ER -
