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Coronel-Oliveros C, Medel V, Orellana S, Rodiño J, Lehue F, Cruzat J, Tagliazucchi E, Brzezicka A, Orio P, Kowalczyk-Grębska N, Ibáñez A. Gaming expertise induces meso‑scale brain plasticity and efficiency mechanisms as revealed by whole-brain modeling. Neuroimage 2024; 293:120633. [PMID: 38704057 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Video games are a valuable tool for studying the effects of training and neural plasticity on the brain. However, the underlying mechanisms related to plasticity-associated brain structural changes and their impact on brain dynamics are unknown. Here, we used a semi-empirical whole-brain model to study structural neural plasticity mechanisms linked to video game expertise. We hypothesized that video game expertise is associated with neural plasticity-mediated changes in structural connectivity that manifest at the meso‑scale level, resulting in a more segregated functional network topology. To test this hypothesis, we combined structural connectivity data of StarCraft II video game players (VGPs, n = 31) and non-players (NVGPs, n = 31), with generic fMRI data from the Human Connectome Project and computational models, to generate simulated fMRI recordings. Graph theory analysis on simulated data was performed during both resting-state conditions and external stimulation. VGPs' simulated functional connectivity was characterized by a meso‑scale integration, with increased local connectivity in frontal, parietal, and occipital brain regions. The same analyses at the level of structural connectivity showed no differences between VGPs and NVGPs. Regions that increased their connectivity strength in VGPs are known to be involved in cognitive processes crucial for task performance such as attention, reasoning, and inference. In-silico stimulation suggested that differences in FC between VGPs and NVGPs emerge in noisy contexts, specifically when the noisy level of stimulation is increased. This indicates that the connectomes of VGPs may facilitate the filtering of noise from stimuli. These structural alterations drive the meso‑scale functional changes observed in individuals with gaming expertise. Overall, our work sheds light on the mechanisms underlying structural neural plasticity triggered by video game experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Coronel-Oliveros
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres, Peñalolén, Santiago 2640, Chile; Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), California US and Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 287, Chile
| | - Vicente Medel
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres, Peñalolén, Santiago 2640, Chile; Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett St, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia; Department of Neuroscience, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 1027, Independencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastián Orellana
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 287, Chile
| | - Julio Rodiño
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 287, Chile; Brain Dynamics Laboratory, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Valparaíso, General Cruz 222, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fernando Lehue
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 287, Chile
| | - Josephine Cruzat
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres, Peñalolén, Santiago 2640, Chile
| | - Enzo Tagliazucchi
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres, Peñalolén, Santiago 2640, Chile; Buenos Aires Physics Institute and Physics Department, University of Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160 - Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Aneta Brzezicka
- Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Chodakowska 19/31, Warsaw, 03-815, Poland
| | - Patricio Orio
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 287, Chile; Instituto de Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Gran Bretaña 1091, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile.
| | - Natalia Kowalczyk-Grębska
- Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Chodakowska 19/31, Warsaw, 03-815, Poland.
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres, Peñalolén, Santiago 2640, Chile; Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), California US and Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Vito Dumas 284, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Lloyd Building, Dublin 2, Ireland.
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Feng Z, Zheng Y, Wang P, Xue L, Yu M, Deng Z, Lei X, Chen G. Abnormal neonatal brain microstructure in gestational diabetes mellitus revealed by MRI texture analysis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15720. [PMID: 37735200 PMCID: PMC10514262 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43055-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
To investigate the value of MRI texture analysis in evaluating the effect of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on neonatal brain microstructure development, we retrospectively collected images of neonates undergoing head MRI scans, including a GDM group (N1 = 37) and a healthy control group (N2 = 34). MaZda texture analysis software was used to extract the texture features from different sequence images and perform dimensionality reduction, and then the texture features selected by the lowest misjudgement rate method were imported into SPSS software for statistical analysis. In our study, we found that GDM affects the development of the microstructure of the neonatal brain, and different combinations of texture features have different recognition performances, such as different sequences and different brain regions. As a consequence, texture analysis combining multiple conventional MRI sequences has a high recognition performance in revealing the abnormal development of the brain microstructure of neonates born of mothers with GDM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Feng
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No.23 Tai Ping Street, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Yurong Zheng
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No.23 Tai Ping Street, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No.23 Tai Ping Street, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Liang Xue
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No.23 Tai Ping Street, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingling Yu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No.23 Tai Ping Street, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhitao Deng
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No.23 Tai Ping Street, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoping Lei
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
- Department of Perinatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
- Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
| | - Guangxiang Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No.23 Tai Ping Street, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
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Association between real-time strategy video game learning outcomes and pre-training brain white matter structure: preliminary study. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20741. [PMID: 36456870 PMCID: PMC9715544 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25099-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years the association between video games, cognition, and the brain has been actively investigated. However, it is still unclear how individual predispositions, such as brain structure characteristics, play a role in the process of acquiring new skills, such as video games. The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate whether acquisition of cognitive-motor skills from the real-time strategy video game (StarCraft II) is associated with pre-training measures of brain white matter integrity. Results show that higher white matter integrity in regions (anterior limb of internal capsule, cingulum/hippocampus) and tracts (inferior longitudinal fasciculus) related with motoric functions, set shifting and visual decision making was associated with better Star Craft II performance. The presented findings inline with previous results and suggest that structural brain predispositions of individuals are related to the video game skill acquisition. Our study highlights the importance of neuroimaging studies that focus on white matter in predicting the outcomes of intervention studies and has implications for understanding the neural basis of the skill learning process.
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Kovbasiuk A, Lewandowska P, Brzezicka A, Kowalczyk-Grębska N. Neuroanatomical predictors of complex skill acquisition during video game training. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:834954. [PMID: 35937888 PMCID: PMC9354597 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.834954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
It is known that the outcomes of complex video game (VG) skill acquisition are correlated with individual differences in demographic and behavioral variables, such as age, intelligence and visual attention. However, empirical studies of the relationship between neuroanatomical features and success in VG training have been few and far between. The present review summarizes existing literature on gray matter (GM) and white matter correlates of complex VG skill acquisition as well as explores its relationship with neuroplasticity. In particular, since age can be an important factor in the acquisition of new cognitive skills, we present studies that compare different age groups (young and old adults). Our review reveals that GM in subcortical brain areas predicts complex VG learning outcomes in young subjects, whereas in older subjects the same is true of cortical frontal areas. This may be linked to age-related compensatory mechanisms in the frontal areas, as proposed by The Scaffolding Theory of Aging and Cognition. In the case of plasticity, there is no such relationship - in the group of younger and older adults there are changes after training in both cortical and subcortical areas. We also summarize best practices in research on predictors of VG training performance and outline promising areas of research in the study of complex video game skill acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kovbasiuk
- Neurocognitive Research Center, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Management in Networked and Digital Societies, Kozminski University, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paulina Lewandowska
- Neurocognitive Research Center, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Aneta Brzezicka
- Neurocognitive Research Center, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Kowalczyk-Grębska
- Neurocognitive Research Center, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
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The role of individual differences in attentional blink phenomenon and real-time-strategy game proficiency. Heliyon 2021; 7:e06724. [PMID: 33937540 PMCID: PMC8079465 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of action videogame playing on cognitive functioning is the subject of debate among scientists, with many studies showing superior performance of players relative to non-players on a number of cognitive tasks. Moreover, the exact role of individual differences in the observed effects is still largely unknown. In our Event-Related Potential (ERP) study we investigated whether training in a Real Time Strategy (RTS) video game StarCraft II can influence the ability to deploy visual attention measured by the Attentional Blink (AB) task. We also asked whether individual differences in a psychophysiological response in the AB task predict the effectiveness of the video game training. Forty-three participants (non-players) were recruited to the experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to either experimental (Variable environment) or active control (Fixed environment) group, which differed in the type of training received. Training consisted of 30 h of playing the StarCraft II game. Participants took part in two EEG sessions (pre- and post-training) during which they performed the AB task. Our results indicate that both groups improved their performance in the AB task in the post-training session. What is more, in the experimental group the strength of the amplitude of the P300 ERP component (which is related to a conscious visual perception) in the pre training session appeared to be predictive of the level of achievement in the game. In the case of the active control group in-game behaviour appeared to be predictive of a training-related improvement in the AB task. Our results suggest that differences in the neurophysiological response might be treated as a marker of future success in video game acquisition, especially in a more demanding game environment.
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