Playing Super Mario 64 increases hippocampal grey matter in older adults

Maintaining grey matter within the hippocampus is important for healthy cognition. Playing 3D-platform video games has previously been shown to promote grey matter in the hippocampus in younger adults. In the current study, we tested the impact of 3D-platform video game training (i.e., Super Mario 6...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2017-12, Vol.12 (12), p.e0187779-e0187779
Main Authors: West, Greg L, Zendel, Benjamin Rich, Konishi, Kyoko, Benady-Chorney, Jessica, Bohbot, Veronique D, Peretz, Isabelle, Belleville, Sylvie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Active control
Adults
Biology and Life Sciences
Cerebellum
Cognition
Cognition & reasoning
Computer & video games
Hippocampus
Medicine and Health Sciences
Neurosciences
Older people
People and Places
Physiological aspects
Prefrontal cortex
Psychological aspects
Replication
Social Sciences
Substantia grisea
Training
Video games
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Summary:Maintaining grey matter within the hippocampus is important for healthy cognition. Playing 3D-platform video games has previously been shown to promote grey matter in the hippocampus in younger adults. In the current study, we tested the impact of 3D-platform video game training (i.e., Super Mario 64) on grey matter in the hippocampus, cerebellum, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of older adults. Older adults who were 55 to 75 years of age were randomized into three groups. The video game experimental group (VID; n = 8) engaged in a 3D-platform video game training over a period of 6 months. Additionally, an active control group took a series of self-directed, computerized music (piano) lessons (MUS; n = 12), while a no-contact control group did not engage in any intervention (CON; n = 13). After training, a within-subject increase in grey matter within the hippocampus was significant only in the VID training group, replicating results observed in younger adults. Active control MUS training did, however, lead to a within-subject increase in the DLPFC, while both the VID and MUS training produced growth in the cerebellum. In contrast, the CON group displayed significant grey matter loss in the hippocampus, cerebellum and the DLPFC.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0187779