A Japanese research team at Tohoku University reported that playing video games develops only those parts of the brain affecting vision and movement. Professor Kawashima, who led the team, states there is a possibility a generation of children spending excessive time playing video games will lead to a more violent society because the development of the frontal lobe, the part of the brain that controls behavior and memory, will not properly develop.
Another researcher, Dr. Akio Mori, a cranial nerve specialist, reported he discovered a lack of brain wave activity in frequent video gamers.
Scientists dispute both the study at Tohoku and Dr. Mori's report. Dennis Schutter, a neuroscientist from the Netherlands, states that the lack of brain wave activity is more likely caused by fatigue.
Other scientists dispute the statement by Kawashima that the development of the frontal lobe could be hindered so much as to cause a violent society.
There is no accepted evidence that video gaming can cause permanent damage or behavioral disruption.
In 2008, the University of California, Berkeley, announced it was working on developing video games specifically designed to build up the cognitive regions of the brain. Its studies indicated children from lower socioeconomic groups were behind in frontal lobe development and that the issue could be resolved with specially designed video games.
Several studies also point to video games contributing to extra development in the brains of physically challenged individuals. Brian Mellan, a blind teenager who is a whiz at video games, is an example. Peter Freer, who developed a video game designed to overcome attention deficit in children, states that Mellan's mastery of video gaming exemplifies the brain's ability to adapt to correct stimulus and learning environment.
Dr. Jay Giedd, a neuroscientist at the National Institute of Mental Health, reported that video games do have an effect of developing brains. Dr. Giedd states that the frontal lobe is fully developed by puberty--about age 11 in girls and age 12 in boys. However, from that point, it is important that activity be balanced because the brain begins a process of "thinning out" the unused areas. He indicates that the influence of video games can be good or bad during this critical period, and that parents should take the responsibility for seeing that a correct balance is practiced with their developing child.
The good news for parents is that a large segment of the gaming industry has begun to recognize their responsibility for the effects their games have on players. Many games are now being released that have the challenge and quality graphics to hold interest while avoiding the focus on violence. This type of game teaches valuable lessons about planning, strategizing and responsibility, while at the same entertaining the player.