http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23798958

Psychiatry Investig. 2013 Jun;10(2):115-20. doi: 10.4306/pi.2013.10.2.115. Epub 2013 May 30.

Comparison of brain activation in response to two dimensional and three dimensional on-line games.

Song WH, Han DH, Shim HJ.

Source

Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The present study assessed the difference in the brain activity of professional gamers (excessive players, but not addicts) in response to playing a 3-dimensional online game with an improved interface.

METHODS:

Twenty-three StarCraft I pro gamers and 16 StarCraft II pro gamers were recruited at Chung Ang University Medical Center. Brain activity in response to StarCraft I or II cues was assessed with a 1.5 Tesla Espree MRI scanner.

RESULTS:

StarCraft I pro gamers showed significantly greater activity in 4 clusters in response to the video game cues compared to StarCraft II pro gamers: right superior frontal gyrus, right medial frontal gyrus, right occipital lobe, and left medial frontal gyrus. StarCraft II pro gamers showed significantly greater activity in 3 clusters in response to the video game cues compared to StarCraft I pro gamers: left middle frontal gyrus, left temporal fusiform gyrus and left cerebellum.

DISCUSSION:

This is the first study to show the difference in brain activity between gamers playing either a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional online game. Current brain imaging studies may confirm the pro gamers' experience when playing StarCraft II, a 3-dimensional game with an improved interface, relative to playing StarCraft I.