Functional changes in the reward circuit in response to gaming-related cues after training with a commercial video game

• Published in: NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.) Vol. 152; pp. 467 - 475
• Main Authors: Gleich, Tobias, Lorenz, Robert C., Gallinat, Jürgen, Kühn, Simone
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 15-05-2017; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Activation; Adult; Brain Mapping; Cognitive ability; Computer & video games; cue reactivity; Cues; Dopamine; Female; fMRI; Frustration; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Hippocampus - physiology; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Neuroimaging; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Passive control; Passive imaging; Prefrontal cortex; Prefrontal Cortex - physiology; Punishment; Reinforcement; Reward; Studies; training; Video Games; video gaming; Young Adult; United States > US; reward; fMRI; video gaming; training; cue reactivity
• ISSN: 1053-8119; 1095-9572
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.03.032

In the present longitudinal study, we aimed to investigate video game training associated neuronal changes in reward processing using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We recruited 48 healthy young participants which were assigned to one of 2 groups: A group in which participants were instructed to play a commercial video game (“Super Mario 64 DS”) on a portable Nintendo DS handheld console at least 30minutes a day over a period of two months (video gaming group; VG) or to a matched passive control group (CG). Before and after the training phase, in both groups, fMRI imaging was conducted during passively viewing reward and punishment-related videos sequences recorded from the trained video game. The results show that video game training may lead to reward related decrease in neuronal activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and increase in the hippocampus. Additionally, the decrease in DLPFC activation was associated with gaming related parameters experienced during playing. Specifically, we found that in the VG, gaming related parameters like performance, experienced fun and frustration (assessed during the training period) were correlated to decrease in reward related DLPFC activity. Thus, neuronal changes in terms of video game training seem to be highly related to the appetitive character and reinforcement schedule of the game. Those neuronal changes may also be related to the often reported video game associated improvements in cognitive functions.
•Training with video games caused decrease in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) areas associated with learning and reward.•Training with video games led to increased hippocampal activity, potentially caused by training induced changes in attentional and memory processes.•Video game training associated DLPFC changes correlate with experienced amount of fun, accomplishment and frustration during training.•Video game training associated changes in DLPFC function might be more pronounced, when the game is fun, the player is performing well and experiences low frustration.