Over the past ten years, scientists have been exploring how lifestyle changes can support brain health. Two popular activities that often come up are physical exercise and playing video games. These activities are said to help improve memory, problem-solving, and communication skills and may even help slow down age-related brain decline.
Exercise and video gaming have also been linked to better mental health, potentially easing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Given that aging increases the risk of developing dementia, these activities are especially recommended for older adults. Starting healthy habits early could help slow cognitive decline.
The growing interest in brain health has led to a booming industry that offers products claiming to enhance cognitive function. But it's crucial to understand what benefits exercise and video gaming actually provide to ensure these recommendations and products truly support healthy aging.
How the Study Was Done
In a global online study of over 1,000 participants, with an average age of 55, researchers gathered information about physical activity levels, time spent playing video games, mental health, and cognitive skills. Participants completed tests on memory, verbal skills, and reasoning using a tool called the Creyos battery. Most participants played non-action games, and their weekly physical activity was tracked through a questionnaire.
What the Study Found
Takeaways
The study suggests that physical activity and video gaming affect brain health in different ways. Exercise appears to benefit mental health, while gaming may help boost cognitive skills. It’s important to note that this study cannot prove that exercise or gaming directly caused these improvements; it only found connections between these activities and cognitive and mental health outcomes.
There is some evidence suggesting action games might have a stronger impact on cognitive skills compared to non-action games, but the study didn't have enough action gamers to confirm this. Overall, while physical activity and video gaming seem to offer different benefits, incorporating both into a lifestyle may support healthy aging.
Reference
Wild, C. J., Paleczny, S. G., Xue, A., Highfield, R., & Owen, A. M. (2024) Characterizing the Cognitive and Mental Health Benefits of Exercise and Video Game Playing: The Brain and Body Study. https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/hdj9r
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