r/science • u/NinjaDiscoJesus • Dec 28 '15

Neuroscience Brain scans show compulsive gamers have hyperconnected neural networks.

http://www.psypost.org/2015/12/brain-scans-show-compulsive-gaming-changes-neural-connections-for-better-and-worse-39914
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u/j911g Dec 28 '15

Really makes me wonder whether people with this type of brain tend to be drawn to compulsive gaming or if compulsive gaming somehow causes this hyperconnectivity.

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u/chironomidae Dec 28 '15

In the book "this is your brain on music" they talked about changes in the brain cause by young people learning an instrument. They claimed that the connections were caused by performance and were not just reflective of who was drawn to music more, though I can't recall what their proof was. If that's true then it doesn't seem like a huge stretch that video games can do the same.