title: Effects of video game playing on cerebral blood flow in young adults: a SPECT study.
abstract: To study the impact of video game playing on the human brain, the effects of two video games playing on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in young adults were determined. Thirty healthy subjects comprising 18 males and 12 females who were familiar with video game playing were recruited. Each subject underwent three sessions of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with a bolus injection of 20 mCi (99m)Tc ECD IV to measure their CBF. The first measurement was performed as baseline, the second and third measurements were performed after playing two different video games for 30 min, respectively. Statistic parametric mapping (SPM2) with Matlab 6.5 implemented on a personal computer was used for image analysis. CBF was significantly decreased in the prefrontal cortex and significantly increased in the temporal and occipital cortices after both video games playing. Furthermore, decreased CBF in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) which was significantly correlated with the number of killed characters was found after the violent game playing. The major finding of hypo-perfusion in prefrontal regions after video game playing is consistent with a previous study showing reduced or abnormal prefrontal cortex functions after video game playing. The second finding of decreased CBF in the ACC after playing the violent video game provides support for a previous hypothesis that the ACC might play a role in regulating violent behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital & National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. c520608@ms64.hinet.net
authors.forename: Yuan-Hwa
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Bang-Hung
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ju-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Shyh-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chun-Lung
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Kai-Lin
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chien Chang
authors.forename: Shin-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D045785:Diterpenes, Clerodane / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D018910:Video Games; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C543871:(5R,10R)-4R,8R-dihydroxy-2S,3R:15,16-diepoxycleroda-13(16),17,12S:18,1S-dilactone; D045785:Diterpenes, Clerodane