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Molecular Psychiatry (2016) 21, 17811789
http://www.nature.com/mp
Web End =www.nature.com/mp
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Impact of videogame play on the brains microstructural properties: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses
H Takeuchi1, Y Taki1,2,3, H Hashizume4, K Asano5, M Asano6, Y Sassa1, S Yokota1, Y Kotozaki7, R Nouchi8 and R Kawashima2,9,10
Videogame play (VGP) has been associated with numerous preferred and non-preferred effects. However, the effects of VGP on the development of microstructural properties in children, particularly those associated with negative psychological consequences of VGP, have not been identied to date. The purpose of this study was to investigate this issue through cross-sectional and longitudinal prospective analyses. In the present study of humans, we used the diffusion tensor imaging mean diffusivity (MD) measurement to measure microstructural properties and examined cross-sectional correlations with the amount of VGP in 114 boys and 126 girls. We also assessed correlations between the amount of VGP and longitudinal changes in MD that developed after3.0 0.3 (s.d.) years in 95 boys and 94 girls. After correcting for confounding factors, we found that the amount of VGP was associated with increased MD in the left middle, inferior and orbital frontal cortex; left pallidum; left putamen; left hippocampus; left caudate; right putamen; right insula; and thalamus in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Regardless of intelligence quotient type, higher MD in the areas of the left thalamus, left hippocampus, left putamen, left insula and left Heschl gyrus was associated with lower intelligence. We also conrmed an association between the amount of VGP and decreased verbal intelligence in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. In conclusion, increased VGP is directly or indirectly associated with delayed
development of the microstructure in extensive brain regions and verbal intelligence.
Molecular Psychiatry (2016) 21, 17811789; doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/mp.2015.193
Web End =10.1038/mp.2015.193 ; published online 5 January 2016
INTRODUCTIONVideogame play (VGP) is increasingly prevalent among children in the modern era.1 VGP has been associated with numerous preferred and non-preferred effects. A causal relationship between VGP and improvements in certain types of visual cognition has been relatively well established.2 On the other hand, negative effects of VGP include effects on verbal memory, some types of attention, sleep, learning and knowledge.24 Furthermore, in imaging studies, VGP was shown to cause substantial dopamine release in the dopaminergic system5 as well as...