374. Playing video games may be beneficial for cognitive development in kids
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
Video games might actually benefit the brains of the children who play them. In a new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, researchers at the University of Vermont collected data from over 2,200 children between the ages of 9 and 10. The children performed two cognitive tasks while undergoing functional MRIs. The researchers looked at whether children who played 3 or more hours per day differed in their performance and brain activation patterns during the cognitive tasks compared to children who didn’t play video games at all. The researchers observed that the children who played video games outperformed the non-video gamers on both cognitive tests. They also appeared to have faster reaction times and superior working memory, along with brain function improvements in areas involved in vision, attention and memory processing.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
