Lenticular nucleus volume predicts performance in real‐time strategy game: cross‐sectional and training approach using voxel‐based morphometry

• Published in: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Vol. 1492; no. 1; pp. 42 - 57
• Main Authors: Kowalczyk‐Grębska, Natalia, Skorko, Maciek, Dobrowolski, Paweł, Kossowski, Bartosz, Myśliwiec, Monika, Hryniewicz, Nikodem, Gaca, Maciej, Marchewka, Artur, Kossut, Małgorzata, Brzezicka, Aneta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-05-2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Cognition - physiology; Cognitive ability; Computer & video games; Computer Systems; Corpus Striatum - anatomy & histology; Corpus Striatum - diagnostic imaging; Corpus Striatum - physiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; game performance; Humans; Learning; Learning - physiology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Morphometry; Motor skill learning; Motor Skills - physiology; Neuroimaging; Original; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; real‐time strategy games; Strategy; Task Performance and Analysis; Training; Video Games - psychology; Young Adult; game performance; real-time strategy games; training; neuroimaging
• ISSN: 0077-8923; 1749-6632
• DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14548

It is unclear why some people learn faster than others. We performed two independent studies in which we investigated the neural basis of real‐time strategy (RTS) gaming and neural predictors of RTS game skill acquisition. In the first (cross‐sectional) study, we found that experts in the RTS game StarCraft® II (SC2) had a larger lenticular nucleus volume (LNV) than non‐RTS players. We followed a cross‐validation procedure where we used the volume of regions identified in the first study to predict the quality of learning a new, complex skill (SC2) in a sample of individuals who were naive to RTS games (a second (training) study). Our findings provide new insights into how the LNV, which is associated with motor as well as cognitive functions, can be utilized to predict successful skill learning and be applied to a much broader context than just video games, such as contributing to optimizing cognitive training interventions.
In this study, we followed a cross‐validation procedure where we used the volume of regions identified in the first study to predict the quality of learning a new, complex skill (StarCraft® II) in a sample of individuals who were naive to RTS games (a second (training) study). Our findings provide new insights into how the lenticular nucleus volume, which is associated with motor as well as cognitive functions, can be utilized to predict successful skill learning and be applied to a much broader context than just video games, such as contributing to optimizing cognitive training interventions.