#Brainconnectivity

A recent neuroimaging study in the journal Brain Sciences has highlighted intriguing differences in brain connectivity between action video gamers and non-gamers, sparking discussions on the cognitive impacts of video gaming. The research found that individuals who engage extensively in action video games, such as First-Person Shooters and Real-Time Strategy games, demonstrate enhanced functional and structural connectivity in the dorsal visual stream of their brains. This discovery provides a compelling look at how such gaming activities may influence brain function, emphasizing heightened functional connectivity between the left superior occipital gyrus and the left superior parietal lobule—areas integral to processing spatial location and movement.

A recent study in Brain Sciences examines how frequent action gaming might shape brain networks. The researchers found that action gamers—such as players of first-person shooters and real-time strategy titles—exhibit stronger connections in the dorsal visual stream, which processes spatial location and movement. They also report improved communication between key regions, including the left superior occipital gyrus and the left superior parietal lobule.

In visual processing, two pathways handle different tasks. The dorsal stream answers “where” something is; the ventral stream answers “what” it is. The study’s lead author, a senior researcher, suggests that intensive spatial and coordination demands in action games could boost connectivity within these pathways.

A recent neuroscience study suggests that regular players of action video games show stronger connections in the brain’s dorsal visual stream. The research maps enhanced links between the left superior occipital gyrus and the left superior parietal lobule in gamers, hinting at cognitive benefits in spatial tasks.

For Thai readers, where gaming is increasingly embedded in education and leisure, these findings offer timely insights. They underscore the potential value of digital media as a tool for learning while highlighting the need for balanced, responsible gaming in schools and families.

Recent research unveiled in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences highlights the profound impact that early-life adversity has on the brain’s structural development, specifically targeting white matter connectivity. White matter, often dubbed as the brain’s “communication highways,” forms the intricate network necessary for tasks like language processing and mental arithmetic. The study, spearheaded by experts from Mass General Brigham, involves an in-depth analysis of brain imaging data from over 9,000 children aged around 9.5 years, all part of the comprehensive Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.

Recent research in the field of neuroscience has discovered that individuals who engage regularly in action video games experience enhanced functional and structural connectivity in the dorsal visual stream of the brain. Published in Brain Sciences, the study specifically maps out connectivity improvements between the left superior occipital gyrus and the left superior parietal lobule among gamers, suggesting that these brain enhancements could contribute to their superior performance in spatial tasks.

New findings from the ABCD study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that early-life hardship can affect the brain’s white matter—the brain’s communication highways that support language and math skills. The research analyzed brain scans from more than 9,000 children around 9.5 years old, providing a large-scale view of how adversity shapes development.

The study reveals that children who face hardship early in life often have lower white matter integrity, which links to weaker cognitive performance in adolescence. Using diffusion imaging, researchers connected various adversities—prenatal risks, family poverty, and neighborhood stress—to changes in white matter quality. Yet the message is not only about risk. The data also highlight how positive environments can counterbalance these effects. Stable homes and supportive, cohesive communities helped buffer against cognitive declines associated with reduced brain connectivity.

A European university-led study used fMRI to show that LSD alters brain connectivity in distinct ways from MDMA and d-amphetamine. The findings challenge the broad “psychedelics” label and highlight the need to analyze each drug’s specific brain effects for promising therapeutic insights.

The research scanned 25 healthy volunteers under the influence of LSD, MDMA, and d-amphetamine. All three substances disrupted communication within brain networks, but LSD uniquely impacted regions tied to self-awareness and sensory processing. This helps explain why LSD often produces profound perceptual changes and shifts in the sense of self, while MDMA and d-amphetamine yield different subjective experiences.