Question: Are video games harmful to the brain?
Dr. Amen's Answer:
With SPECT imaging, we see that video games work in the same area of the brain as cocaine and methamphetamine. Video games increase the amount of dopamine being released in the brain, so when kids play video games, they really like it! The problem is that games release so much dopamine that there isn’t enough of the chemical available for the little things in life. Other activities and relationships that normally would make people happy leave them feeling nothing at all.
Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine say that brain scans of kids who played a violent video game showed an increase in emotional arousal and a corresponding decrease of activity in brain areas involved in self-control, inhibition, and attention. Another study found that playing violent video games is related to having more aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The good news gleaned from this study is that when parents limit the type of games and the amount of playing time, children are less likely to display aggressive behaviors. When it comes to video games, no more than 30 minutes a day.
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