Playing videogames ‘may be linked with neurological disorder risk’

A new study has determined a potential link between extensive videogame playing and an elevated risk of neurological disorders.

Led by the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, the research analysed a group of adult gamers who were spending at least six hours per week playing videogames. They were found to exhibit more efficient visual attention abilities, in line with previous studies.

However, it was also observed that gamers often use navigation strategies that rely on the brain's reward system, the caudate nucleus, rather than the hippocampus, which handles spatial memory.

Past research has shown that people utilising caudate nucleus-dependent strategies have lower grey matter and functional brain activity in the hippocampus, creating a risk of degeneration in future.

The study's first author Dr Gregory West said: "This means that people who spend a lot of time playing videogames may have reduced hippocampal integrity, which is associated with an increased risk of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease."

However, the report also noted that since past research has shown that videogames have positive effects on attention, it is important for future studies to confirm that gaming does not have a negative effect on the hippocampus.