Amongst the wider public, video gamers do not have the best reputation. However, new research shows action video gamers (AVGs) have more gray matter and better connectivity in certain subregions of the brain. Researchers were drawn to previous evidence that showed that expert AVGs had superior cognitive abilities compared to amateurs.
For instance, expert AVGs possess better attention skills and eye-hand coordination. Futhermore, it was already known that expert AVGs had more gray matter in various brain regions. Armed with this prior knowledge, the team used functional MRI to examine the brains of 27 expert AVGs (i.e., action video gamers who were regional or national champions) and 30 amateur AVGs, focusing specifically on networks within the insular cortex that are associated with attention and sensorimotor function.
Subsequent analysis showed that expert AVGs also had more gray matter in the left insular cortex and central insular sulcus. Thus, the authors conclude that action video gaming can increase gray matter volume and integration of networks associated with attention and sensorimotor function.