Spending hours in front of the console hurts! Science intervenes to disprove. The results of the correlation between video games and cognitive abilities shocks everyone.
Video games have always suffered demonization from parents, worried about seeing their children spend many hours in front of the console. Often mothers and fathers blame or blame their children’s bad behavior on video games, instead of stopping to reflect on their parenting methods.
There are those who even go so far as to blame video games for causing health problems to little ones. When it comes to health we must first turn to the objective eye of science, before falling into clichés, and be reasonable.
In fact, a team of researchers from the University of Vermont published a study in the journal Jama Network Open that video games could be associated with improved cognitive performance in children. Although, it should be stressed that more research will be needed to analyze in detail the potential benefits and harms on the developing brain.
Video games and cognitive skills
So far, studies have tried to shed some light on relationship between video games and cognitive behavior, suggesting potential associations between these and an increase in depression, violence and aggressive behavior. But the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are not yet understood.
Scientists reviewed the data related to surveys, cognitive tests and brain imaging. All data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (Abcd), a study currently underway supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Nida) and other bodies of the National Institutes of Health.
For a total of 2 thousand childrenthe researchers noted that who played video games for three or more hours a day he was presenting better test results related to cognitive skills. Like controlling impulsive behavior, storing information and performing tasks, compared to those who had never played with it.
The three-hour threshold was selected as it exceeds the amount of time indicated by the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, which recommend limiting playtime to one or two hours per day for older children. In particular, it was observed that children who played for more than three hours a day were faster and more accurate in performing cognitive tasks.
Brain imaging analyzes found that the same children exhibited higher brain activity in brain regions associated with attention and memory. However, they also showed less brain activity in vision-related brain regions.
“A lot of research has linked video games to mental health problems, but the latter suggests there may be too cognitive benefits associated with this pastime, which deserve further investigation ” says Nora Volkow, director of Nida.
Correlation of behavioral problems
Although, some children who played video games for three or more hours a day tended to show behavioral problemsthe researchers found that this association it was not statistically significant.
However, the study has several limitations, such as the fact that it was not possible to determine a cause-and-effect relationship, but only an association between video games and cognitive skills. For this reason, scientists are keen to emphasize that these results should not push children to spend hours and hours in front of computers, cell phones or TVs..
“While we cannot say that playing video games regularly can lead to superior neurocognitive performance, it is an encouraging discovery and we must continue to investigate these children into adolescence and adulthood. Many parents today are concerned about the effects of video games on the health and development of their children and, as these games continue to increase among young people, it is essential to better understand the positive and negative impact they can have “, concludes the author. Bader Chaarani.