Immense data processing within brain networks in professional gamers

Internet video games represent complex systems that process large data volumes, requiring cognitive skills. We hypothesized that professional gamers must effectively process a vast amount of information to compete, likely involving altered brain functional connectivity (FC), cortical volumes, and white matter connectivity (FA) within ventral attention network (VAN), dorsal attention network (DAN) and thalamocortical networks (TCN). The study recruited 23 professional gamers and 20 healthy control participants. All participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning and cognitive function tests. Professional gamers demonstrated increased FC and larger cortical volumes within the VAN, along with improved FA within the DAN compared to controls. Decreased FC within the TCN was also observed. Working memory backward was negatively correlated with the FC from the left thalamus to the left pre-cingulate cortex in all participants. Hence, the brains of professional gamers adapt to respond to an immense influx of external stimuli by enhancing connectivity and cortical volume within the VAN, improving white matter integrity within the DAN, and restricting TCN connectivity.