Too much time spent playing video games has been linked to aggressive and addictive behaviors in teens, according to new research. The study, published in the journal Neurology Now, suggests that gaming increases dopamine production, too much of which can interfere with the brain's prefrontal cortex, the area related to decision making and self control.
As a case study, lead author Amy Paturel chose Anthony Rosner of London, England, who, for nearly two years, spent 18 hours per day playing the online game World of Warcraft.
"I never saw my real friends. I gained weight, became lazy, and spent nearly all of my time slumped over my computer," he says of his gaming odyssey.
Paturel also tackled the problem of aggressive behaviors, saying that video games can inadvertently reward violent tendencies:
"For a kid who already has an aggressive personality that could be a problem, say experts, since video games reward those aggressive tendencies. In fact, two separate studies found that playing a violent video game for just 10-20 minutes increased aggressive thoughts compared to those who played nonviolent games."
According to the global market research firm, the NPD Group, nine out of ten kids (aged 2-17) play video games. The fastest growth group is kids aged 2-5.
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