Game Brain

is a term invented by Akio Mori. He is a professor of Physical Education Humanities and Sciences division of Nihon University in Japan. His theory brought on active debates over its pros and cons.

ummary

Mori originally coined the term and presented the concept in his book nihongo|"The Terror of Game Brain"|ゲーム脳の恐怖|Gēmu Nō no Kyōfu published in July 2002. Mori is neither a neuroscientist nor a psychologist. He is a PhD physiologist and his thesis concerns muscle.

Amongst his writings is the description of an experiment designed to measure the effect of video games on human brain activity by searching beta wave. Conducted at Tokyo's Nihon University, Mori claims his study has revealed that people who spend long periods playing video games have less activity in the brain's prefrontal region, which governs emotion and creativity, in contrast to their peers. He claims that the experiment demonstrates the existence of an "adverse effect that video games have on the human brain". [cite web|url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fd20020929t1.html|title=Beta beware 'game brain'|publisher=The Japan Times|date=2002-09-29|accessdate=2008-02-11] Specifically, Mori asserts that side effects can include loss of concentration, an inability to control temper and problems socialising or associating with others. [cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20020714/ai_n12578018|title=It's official: video games are bad for your brain; New research shows|publisher=The Sunday Herald|date=2002-07-14|accessdate=2008-09-30] "Game Brain" refers to these effects and the state of the brain.

His theory has gained some recognition in popular culture, especially among parents who believe that video gaming can have detrimental effects on child development. It has in many instances affected local policy and decision-making regarding the selling of games to minors. Often, when cases of juvenile delinquency and child misbehaviour are suspected to be a result of over-exposure to video games, Japanese media will often show "game brain" as a possible explanation. Mori insisted that the use of internet was the cause of the Sasebo slashing. [cite web | url=http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9838.php | title=Using computers for long hours may prompt children to behave violently, neurologists says| publisher = Medical News Today | date = 2004-06-23 | accessdate=2008-02-07]

Criticism

His theory was criticized as unwarranted research by established neuroscientists and brain specialists, because he used unreliable measures and misunderstood about beta wave. One of his critics, Dennis Schutter, a neuroscientist specialising in the EEG signatures of different emotional states has stated, "My guess is that fatigue is the most likely cause of the absence of the beta waves and not the gaming per se." [cite web|url=http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2538-video-game-brain-damage-claim-criticised.html|title=Video game "brain damage" claim criticised|accessdate=2008-02-06 |author=Helen Phillips |date=2002-07-11 |work= |publisher=New Scientist]

His book was nominated for the nihongo|Japan Outrageous Book Award|日本トンデモ本大賞|Nihon Tondemo-bon Taishō in 2003. Ryuta Kawashima even developed . He claimed that Game Brain was "superstition". [cite web|url=http://scienceportal.jp/HotTopics/interview/interview1/05.html|title=川島 隆太 氏 インタビュー「道を拓く- Frontiers -」|language=Japanese|publisher=Scinece Portal|accessdate=2008-05-31] Mori's theory focused on video games, but he did not determine any particular kind. There are controversies over violent video games over the world, but his theory is limited to Japan. Under his theory, even Shogi player Yoshiharu Habu probably has "Game Brain". [cite web|url=http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/games/articles/0506/01/news033_2.html|title=ゲーム脳、言われているのは日本だけ |language=Japanese|accessdate=2008-02-07 |author=Manabu Endo |date=2005-06-01 |work= |publisher=ITmedia]

Although his theory is cited as pseudoscience, his theory became popular in Japan while Japanese scientists ignored him, so the Japanese neuroscientist leader Tadaharu Tsumoto claimed in 2006 that they must criticize even outlandish theories like Mori's. [cite web | url=http://mainichi.jp/enta/mantan/archive/news/2006/04/07/20060407org00m300121000c.html|title=ゲーム脳：高次脳機能障害3年半　早期教育検証を |language=Japanese|accessdate=2008-02-07 |author= |date=2006-04-07 |work= |publisher=Mainichi Shimbun]

See also

* Video game controversy

References

External links

* [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fd20020929t1.html Beta beware 'game brain'] "The Japan Times", September 29, 2002
* [http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2538-video-game-brain-damage-claim-criticised.html Video game "brain damage" claim criticised] "New Scientist", July 11, 2002