title: Real-Time Strategy Video Game Experience and Visual Perceptual Learning.
abstract: Visual perceptual learning (VPL) is defined as long-term improvement in performance on a visual-perception task after visual experiences or training. Early studies have found that VPL is highly specific for the trained feature and location, suggesting that VPL is associated with changes in the early visual cortex. However, the generality of visual skills enhancement attributable to action video-game experience suggests that VPL can result from improvement in higher cognitive skills. If so, experience in real-time strategy (RTS) video-game play, which may heavily involve cognitive skills, may also facilitate VPL. To test this hypothesis, we compared VPL between RTS video-game players (VGPs) and non-VGPs (NVGPs) and elucidated underlying structural and functional neural mechanisms. Healthy young human subjects underwent six training sessions on a texture discrimination task. Diffusion-tensor and functional magnetic resonance imaging were performed before and after training. VGPs performed better than NVGPs in the early phase of training. White-matter connectivity between the right external capsule and visual cortex and neuronal activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were greater in VGPs than NVGPs and were significantly correlated with RTS video-game experience. In both VGPs and NVGPs, there was task-related neuronal activity in the right IFG, ACC, and striatum, which was strengthened after training. These results indicate that RTS video-game experience, associated with changes in higher-order cognitive functions and connectivity between visual and cognitive areas, facilitates VPL in early phases of training. The results support the hypothesis that VPL can occur without involvement of only visual areas. Significance statement: Although early studies found that visual perceptual learning (VPL) is associated with involvement of the visual cortex, generality of visual skills enhancement by action video-game experience suggests that higher-order cognition may be involved in VPL. If so, real-time strategy (RTS) video-game experience may facilitate VPL as a result of heavy involvement of cognitive skills. Here, we compared VPL between RTS video-game players (VGPs) and non-VGPs (NVGPs) and investigated the underlying neural mechanisms. VGPs showed better performance in the early phase of training on the texture discrimination task and greater level of neuronal activity in cognitive areas and structural connectivity between visual and cognitive areas than NVGPs. These results support the hypothesis that VPL can occur beyond the visual cortex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, South Korea, and.
authors.forename: Yong-Hwan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9275-199X
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, South Korea, and dwkang@amc.seoul.kr.
authors.forename: Dong-Wha
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2999-485X
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912.
authors.forename: Dongho
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, South Korea, and.
authors.forename: Hye-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912.
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912.
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D018910:Video Games; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: diffusion-tensor imaging; functional magnetic resonance imaging; probabilistic tractography; texture discrimination task; video game experience; visual perceptual learning