Video game playing effects on young adult’s brain rhythm quantitative EEG study

Abstract

Background

Video games are ubiquitous and play a significant role in our daily lives. They are utilized in waiting areas at hospitals, while waiting for buses, on airplanes, at home, while playing with friends, or when driving with children. Alterations in EEG brain waves are associated with responses to external stimuli i.e. video gaming. The cognitive states of users can be recognized by identifying distinct brain waves and tracking the various brain regions and their wave frequency ranges.

Objectives

To track the effect of video game playing on brain activity by quantitative analysis of EEG (QEEG) and to contrast the spectral analysis of dynamic brain activity while engaging in continuous visual mental tasks.

Methods

This is a cross sectional observational descriptive study conducted on young adults (15 to 26 years). A free endless runner game – Subway Surfers (SYPO games) was played on a smart phone by each participant during conventional EEG recording.

Results

There was a significant increase in power ratio index (PRI) in all regions during gaming compared to baseline readings. The younger subjects (< 20 years) had significantly higher PRI in the frontal, temporal and occipital regions compared to older subjects. Moreover, post gaming PRI showed significant negative correlation to age in the prefrontal and frontal regions.

Conclusion

Our results support the hypotheses that during gaming time, there is less creative thinking and alertness, problem solving, decision making, and more emotional strain, aggravation, and memories of past events, which is due to high levels of mental effort and attention to the game. The effect of playing video games is relatively more on younger people and its effect outlasts the gaming time, which could be used positively with further research.