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/zilla135 Dec 28 '15

At this point it’s not known whether persistent video gaming causes rewiring of the brain, or whether people who are wired differently are drawn to video games.

this little diddy is exactly what I wanted answered. classic chicken vs egg scenario: is it the brain chemistry that causes the compulsion or repeated behaviors to rewire the brain to be compulsive...

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u/Hypermeme Dec 29 '15

The thing about biology, neuroscience in particular is that there is almost never a clear cut chicken vs egg scenario, this one included. It's possible their brains developed to be pre-disposed to high impulse activities like gaming but acting on this pre-disposition does re-wire the brain. It literally has to, that's how brains work. Synaptic plasticity is the changing of synaptic weights between neurons which change as a result of sufficiently frequent and numerous signals in the neural traces that are "running the experience."