According to a recent study published in BMC Research Notes, brain function can actually become more efficient after playing Tetris.

Remember that wonderful game Tetris? It was originally designed by Russian programmer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984 and since then, there have been many variations of the game released. If I had known then that Tetris can actually make brain function more efficient, I would have played a whole lot more!

The research notes suggest:

The study is the first to assess both brain structure and efficiency using two types of brain imaging before and after practicing a cognitive task.

The study compared adolescent girls who practiced Tetris over a three-month period and those who did not. According to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the practice group increased thickness of the cortex in certain areas. Their brains also appeared to function more efficiently in some areas, meaning they used less brainpower to complete the same tasks.

I remember when people used to say that “gaming rots the brain”. Now they’re saying that video games actually help your brain to become more efficient! My how times have changed…

Source: TechReview