Playing video games may improve children’s brain function because of their cognitively demanding nature, study finds
- Children who play video games for three or more hours a day perform better on impulse control and memory tests, the study says
- Researchers stressed that the findings do not mean children should spend an unlimited amount of time on gaming
Some parents worry about the negative impact video games could have on their children, but gaming may be associated with improved cognitive abilities, a new study found.
Kids who play video games for three or more hours per day performed better on impulse control and memory tests than children who don’t play games, according to research published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
The study has been the largest investigation into the association between video gaming, cognition and brain function, according to Bader Chaarani, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont and lead author on the study.
Nora Volkow, director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, said in a statement: “This study adds to our growing understanding of the associations between playing video games and brain development.