Video Games and Brain Health: What Science Reveals About Cognition

What neuroscience research says about cognition, aging, and smarter play

Key Points: How Video Games Affect the Brain

Video games are linked to improved cognitive performance, including memory and attention.
Complex and strategy-based games offer stronger brain benefits than slower, turn-based games.
Gaming supports cognition but does not replace exercise for mental health benefits.
Moderation and game type play a critical role in outcomes.
Video games may help support healthy cognitive aging when balanced with other activities.

Video Games and the Brain: Entertainment That Trains the Mind

For decades, video games have been caught in the middle of a cultural debate. Critics often warn that gaming leads to sedentary habits, distraction, or social withdrawal, while enthusiasts argue that games can sharpen skills and foster creativity. As video games continue to grow into one of the most popular forms of entertainment worldwide, science is finally catching up with the question: What do video games really do to our brains?

Recent large-scale studies and expert analyses suggest a more nuanced answer. Video games are neither villains nor miracle cures—but when played thoughtfully, they may offer meaningful benefits for cognitive health.

What Science Says About Gaming and Cognition

One of the most significant contributions to this discussion comes from the Brain and Body Study, a large international collaboration led by researchers at Western University in partnership with the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester. The study involved more than 2,000 participants worldwide and used online cognitive assessments to measure memory, attention, reasoning, and verbal ability.

The results revealed a striking pattern: people who regularly played video games demonstrated stronger cognitive performance than those who rarely or never played. Frequent gamers—defined as playing five or more hours per week of a single game type—performed cognitively like people nearly 14 years younger on average. Even infrequent gamers showed measurable advantages, performing like individuals more than five years younger.

Importantly, the study found that while gaming was associated with improved cognition, it did not significantly affect mental health, either positively or negatively.

Exercise and Gaming: Different Benefits, Different Outcomes

The same research offered an important counterpoint. Physical activity, particularly meeting or exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 150 minutes per week, showed a strong link to better mental wellbeing. Participants who exercised regularly were more likely to report fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression.

However, exercise did not improve cognitive performance in the same way gaming did. As lead researcher Adrian Owen explained, gaming and exercise appear to support different aspects of brain and mental health. In other words, they are not interchangeable, but complementary.

This distinction challenges the common assumption that all beneficial activities affect the brain in the same way.

Why Game Type Matters

Not all video games influence the brain equally. Research published in Nature Communications in 2025 highlights that complex, cognitively demanding games are key to unlocking brain benefits.

In controlled experiments, non-gamers who trained on StarCraft II, a fast-paced real-time strategy game requiring multitasking, planning, and rapid attention shifts, showed improvements in brain efficiency and signs of slower neural aging. In contrast, participants who played slower, turn-based games did not experience the same cognitive gains.

According to researchers, it is the real-time complexity and cognitive load—not gaming itself—that drives these benefits. Strategy and action games appear to activate brain networks involved in attention and decision-making, areas that often decline with age.

Mental Health: Benefits, Limits, and Balance

Gaming’s relationship with mental health is more complex. Some studies suggest that moderate gaming may help reduce stress, support emotional regulation, and foster social connection—especially in cooperative or multiplayer environments. Many players report using games as a way to relax, focus, or temporarily escape daily pressures.

However, experts consistently emphasize moderation. Excessive gaming, particularly when it interferes with sleep, responsibilities, or real-world relationships, may increase stress or contribute to social isolation for some individuals. Violent or highly competitive games may also affect players differently depending on personality, age, and environment.

This mixed evidence explains why some sources report mental health benefits, while others—such as the Brain and Body Study—find no significant mental health impact at all. The emerging consensus is that gaming’s psychological effects depend heavily on how, what, and how much someone plays.

Measuring the Brain More Precisely

A key strength of recent research lies in how cognition is measured. Tools like Creyos allow scientists to move beyond self-reported habits and assess brain performance objectively. Using validated cognitive tasks, researchers can track memory, attention, reasoning, and executive function across diverse populations.

These tools have revealed that the cognitive benefits of gaming appear across the lifespan, including in older adults. This has sparked interest in gaming as a potential lifestyle intervention to support healthy cognitive aging and, possibly, to complement clinical approaches for age-related cognitive decline.

A Shift in Perspective

Public attitudes toward gaming are slowly evolving. As Aaron Seitz, director of Northeastern University’s Brain Game Center, notes, video games place players in complex simulated environments that require constant learning, adaptation, and skill refinement—something traditional “brain games” often lack.

Journalistic and academic voices alike increasingly agree: video games should not be dismissed as mindless entertainment. Instead, they are tools—ones whose impact depends on design, intention, and balance.

Conclusion: Playing Smarter, Not Just More

The growing body of research points to a powerful insight: the brain thrives on challenge. Video games, particularly those that demand strategy, rapid decision-making, and sustained attention, can provide that challenge in engaging and accessible ways.

At the same time, gaming is not a replacement for physical activity, social connection, or other pillars of mental health. The most promising path forward is not choosing between exercise and gaming, but combining them—treating the brain and body as partners rather than competitors.

When approached with moderation and intention, video games may do more than entertain. They may help keep our minds sharper, our thinking more flexible, and our brains younger for longer—proving that play, when done wisely, can be a serious investment in cognitive health.

Frequently Asked Questions About Video Games and Brain Health

Do video games improve brain function?

Research suggests that certain video games—especially strategy and action games—can improve cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem-solving. These benefits are linked to the complexity and mental demands of the games rather than gaming itself.

Are video games good or bad for mental health?

Video games can support relaxation and stress relief for some people, but excessive play may have negative effects. Studies show that gaming does not replace the mental health benefits of physical activity and works best as part of a balanced lifestyle.

Which video games are best for cognitive health?

Games that require real-time decision-making, multitasking, and strategic planning—such as real-time strategy or action games—appear to provide stronger cognitive benefits than slower, turn-based games.

Can video games slow brain aging?

Recent studies indicate that engaging in cognitively demanding activities, including complex video games, may help slow neural aging and support long-term brain health when played in moderation.

Sources:

Western University – Brain and Body Study
https://news.westernu.ca/2024/10/brain-body-study-results/
Creyos – The Brain Health Benefits of Video Games
https://creyos.com/blog/the-brain-health-benefits-of-video-games
Decrypt – The Fountain of Youth for Your Brain Might Be a Strategy Video Game
https://decrypt.co/353281/the-fountain-of-youth-for-your-brain-might-be-a-strategy-video-game
The Washington Post – Video games may be a surprisingly good way to get a cognitive boost
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/12/21/video-games-brain-cognition-boost/

Thank you and Merry Christmas!