What Does the Research Actually Show?
Discussions about gaming and the brain often swing between two extremes: dismissing games as a waste of time, or claiming they make you measurably smarter. The science sits in a more interesting middle ground.
A comprehensive systematic review published in Brain Sciences examined the available neuroimaging and behavioral research on gaming’s effects on the brain. The work, conducted by Dr. Denilson Brilliant T. and colleagues at the Smart Ageing Research Center at Tohoku University, analyzed studies across multiple game genres, age groups, and cognitive domains.
The review’s central finding: gaming is associated with measurable brain differences, but those differences depend heavily on game type and are not uniform across all players or cognitive abilities.
The Systematic Review
What Was Analyzed
This is a review of existing research, not a single experiment:
Study Selection
- Peer-reviewed research only
- Neuroimaging data: fMRI, PET, or structural brain imaging
- Control groups: Comparisons between gamers and non-gamers
- Diverse populations: Multiple age groups and demographics
- Various genres: Different gaming experiences examined separately
Analysis Dimensions
- Brain structure: Gray matter volume and density differences
- Functional differences: Brain activation patterns during tasks
- Network connectivity: Communication between brain regions
- Cognitive performance: Behavioral task measures
Genre-Specific Associations: What the Data Shows
3D Adventure Games: Hippocampal Associations
3D adventure games showed the most consistent brain associations across studies:
Hippocampal Differences (Kuhn et al., 2014)
- Increased gray matter volume in hippocampus
- Better spatial memory performance
- Faster acquisition of spatial information
The hippocampus is central to spatial memory and navigation. 3D adventure games provide rich spatial environments that exercise this system directly.
Additional Structural Associations
- DLPFC differences linked to executive control and working memory
- Cerebellar associations with motor learning
- Preserved reward system activity
Why 3D Environments Drive These Differences
- Complex 3D worlds require extensive spatial processing
- Navigation challenges exercise hippocampal systems directly
- Memory requirements span locations, objects, and sequences
- Difficulty typically scales as players improve
Strategy Games: Executive Function Associations
Strategy games are associated with differences in higher-order cognitive functions:
Executive Control Associations (Lee et al., 2012)
- DLPFC processing efficiency differences
- Reduced activation for comparable cognitive tasks (suggesting more efficient processing)
- Working memory task performance differences
Planning and Adaptation
- Multi-step planning differences
- Better resource management on relevant tasks
- Faster adaptation to changing conditions
Puzzle Games: Visuospatial Processing
Puzzle games are associated with spatial cognitive differences:
Spatial Processing (Haier et al., 2009)
- Increased gray matter in visual-spatial processing areas
- Mental rotation performance differences
- Spatial working memory task advantages
Network Integration (Martinez et al., 2013)
- Multimodal integration differences
- More streamlined information processing
- Some cross-domain transfer effects
First-Person Shooters: Complex and Variable Effects
FPS games show interesting but more variable brain associations:
Hippocampal Effects Depend on Learning Style (West et al., 2018)
- Spatial learners: Increased gray matter, enhanced navigation
- Response learners: Different pattern with amygdala differences
- Key insight: Individual differences in how people learn change what the game trains
This finding matters: the same game can produce different neural associations depending on how a player approaches it.
Attention Network Associations
- Visual attention tracking differences
- Selective attention task advantages
- Divided attention and multitasking differences
Rhythm and Dance Games: Emotional and Attentional Associations
Even rhythm games show measurable associations:
Working Memory and Emotion (Roush, 2013)
- Visuospatial working memory differences
- Emotional processing area activity differences
- Attention regulation associations
- Motor coordination improvements
Neuroplasticity: The Mechanism Behind the Associations
Structural Differences
Several studies found physical brain differences between long-term gamers and non-gamers:
Gray Matter
- Volume increases in task-relevant regions
- More efficient tissue organization
- Targeted to cognitively relevant areas
White Matter
- Connectivity improvements between regions
- Faster information transmission in some pathways
- Better network integration
Functional Efficiency
A recurring pattern: gaming is associated with reduced activation for comparable cognitive tasks. This “neural efficiency” pattern suggests more streamlined processing rather than brute-force effort.
What About League of Legends?
League of Legends combines elements that appear across multiple beneficial categories in the review:
3D Spatial Environment
- Complex map with spatial memory demands
- Position awareness and navigation challenges
- Dynamic spatial relationships
Strategic Depth
- Multi-phase planning
- Resource management
- Adaptive strategy adjustment
Real-Time Decision Making
- Time-pressured choices
- Multi-variable analysis
- Pattern recognition
Social Coordination
- Team communication
- Collaborative planning
- Shared decision-making
MOBAs engage multiple cognitive systems that the review found associated with measurable brain differences. That makes them a cognitively rich environment. It does not mean playing them will raise your IQ or validate any specific measurement tool.
Important Limitations
The systematic review honestly acknowledges several constraints:
- Most studies are cross-sectional (snapshot comparisons, not longitudinal tracking)
- Direction of causation is often unclear: gaming may produce the differences, or people with those neural profiles may be more drawn to gaming
- Publication bias may overrepresent positive findings
- Sample sizes in individual studies vary considerably
- Long-term effects and persistence after gaming stops are under-studied
Who Benefits Most?
The research suggests gaming effects are not uniform:
Learning Style
The FPS data is the clearest example: spatial learners and response learners show different neural patterns from the same game. Your approach matters as much as the game.
Age
- Younger players during development show adaptation; effects may be stronger during developmental windows
- Young adults appear to benefit most from complex strategic games
- Older adults show some maintenance of cognitive function with gaming
Game Selection
The genre-specific findings are real. Choosing games that match the cognitive domains you want to exercise matters.
Conclusion
The systematic review provides a clear, defensible summary: gaming is associated with measurable brain differences across multiple domains, and those differences vary meaningfully by game type and player characteristics.
This is not the same as “gaming makes you smarter.” The research does not support claiming that gaming improves general intelligence, raises IQ scores, or validates any specific cognitive assessment tool.
What the research does support: the cognitive demands of complex games are real, the associated brain differences are measurable, and the effects are specific rather than generic. Players who engage deeply with strategic, spatially rich, or cognitively demanding games show differences in exactly the systems those games exercise.
Saiki uses your League of Legends gameplay to build a personality and behavioral profile. The brain science in this review is consistent with the premise that gameplay carries genuine cognitive and behavioral signal. It does not prove that Saiki measures IQ or serves as a clinical instrument.
Discover Your Gaming Profile
Ready to understand what your gameplay behavior reveals about you? Saiki analyzes your League of Legends data to provide insights into your:
- Personality dimensions from the HEXACO model
- Decision-making patterns
- Behavioral tendencies under pressure
- Cognitive style based on how you actually play
Start your assessment and discover what your gaming behavior reveals about who you are. The science suggests it tells a real story.
