title: Regional differences in brain volume predict the acquisition of skill in a complex real-time strategy videogame.
abstract: Previous studies have found that differences in brain volume among older adults predict performance in laboratory tasks of executive control, memory, and motor learning. In the present study we asked whether regional differences in brain volume as assessed by the application of a voxel-based morphometry technique on high resolution MRI would also be useful in predicting the acquisition of skill in complex tasks, such as strategy-based video games. Twenty older adults were trained for over 20 h to play Rise of Nations, a complex real-time strategy game. These adults showed substantial improvements over the training period in game performance. MRI scans obtained prior to training revealed that the volume of a number of brain regions, which have been previously associated with subsets of the trained skills, predicted a substantial amount of variance in learning on the complex game. Thus, regional differences in brain volume can predict learning in complex tasks that entail the use of a variety of perceptual, cognitive and motor processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA. cbasak@rice.edu
authors.forename: Chandramallika
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Basak
authors.forename: Michelle W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Voss
authors.forename: Kirk I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: Walter R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Boot
authors.forename: Arthur F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D018910:Video Games