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"Yet another health warning regarding games."

I don't know if any of you have got issue 120 (September 2002) of Nintendo Official Magazine (surely one of you must have it), but I was flicking through it yesterday, and noticed the following article:



Games Rot Your Brains:

A study conducted at Nihon University's College of Humanities in Japan has conducted that playing videogames negatively affects your brain's power. Professor Akio Mori surveyed 240 people between the ages of 6 and 29 and discovered that the activity in the brain's prefrontal lobes, the area that governs emotion and creativity, dipped in relation to the time spent playing a game. Those most at risk are people who spent between 2 and 7 hours each day playing games. In these cases the activity in the prefrontal lobes was constantly near zero even when they were doing something other than playing games. "During childhood," says Akio Mori, "playing with friends outside, not videogames, is the best option."



Now, I'm not the kind of guy to ignore "medical research", but doesn't the above article seem a tad strange to you? I mean, if we are to believe the above article, then during, before and after playing games between the ages of 6 and 29, we're going to be mindless, emotion starved zombies.

But I know for a fact that this simply cannot be true. One might even say it's "a load of old cobblers". The reason? Well...I would say that I play videogames for approximately 4 hours a day (more on the weekends); so I'm within the "danger zone" regarding time spent playing games, I am 17; so I'm also within the ages that Akio Mori "surveyed"... however; I still remain as confused and emotionally active as I ever was. Taking into account that I am in fact still a teenager (and let's face it, making teenagers all emotional in one way or another for is easier than winning £100 on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire"), I'm still unaffected by the "brain-sucking videogame" disease.

Also, Akio Mori's statement at the end of the article - "During childhood playing outside with friends, not videogames, is the best option." - couldn't be more wrong. Granted, kids playing outside in the fresh air (especially if you live on a farm! Ooh ar! etc) is obviously going to be good for them... but, if your "neighbourhood" is anything like mine, then you will have noticed it changing and becoming more and more hostile. This happens everywhere (excluding Buckingham Palace... tsk!), but for my entire life (that's 18 years this December), I've lived where I live now, and I've noticed the place and nearby locations turn to shi...pooh. I no longer feel safe to go to some places where I would before, and this is my point about playing videogames. If you're sat inside, enjoying a good game of something with your friends or family, then you're not going to be outside and a prime target for muggings and the like.

I'm sure that you'll all have your own opinions on what I and Akio Mori have said. Thanks for reading.

Dark Mark wrote:
> And at least 200,000 people a year in the UK alone go deaf when they
> make the mistake of listening to Celine Dion. And that figure is
> gradually increasing. If THAT's not an area of concern, I don't know
> what is.

seems everything influences everyone. I know a two year old that told her mum to "go away, b***h" it was actually very funny, i also know a 3 year old who often tells me to "b****r off" even if im just sitting down!! Maybe they've been listening to eminem, or elton john, or britney spears :O

Dark Mark wrote:
> And at least 200,000 people a year in the UK alone go deaf when they
> make the mistake of listening to Celine Dion. And that figure is
> gradually increasing. If THAT's not an area of concern, I don't know
> what is.


lololololol :D

2 people die each year in the UK from trouser related accidents.

i have that issue of nom (sheepish look)

i laugh at games removing your creative ability. im very very creative and have played alot of games. less now but more when some new games are released. ho hum.

i have a double issue of NOM, they printed a different frount cover on the back exept it was upside down.

And at least 200,000 people a year in the UK alone go deaf when they make the mistake of listening to Celine Dion. And that figure is gradually increasing. If THAT's not an area of concern, I don't know what is.

8 people a year* get bruises on their foreheads from standing on rakes. Surely this is a vital area of concern?





*Made up figure.

218 people die in the UK alone every year from choking on their food. Surely people not knowing how to chew properly is far more important an issue than demonising video games.

Dark Mark wrote:
> But, feeling the emotions I feel on a regular basis isn't too much fun
> either.

Possibly, but you have the ability to follow your heart. If someone close to you was to die, you would be able to feel the remorse that I wasn't able to recently.

Blimey! I thought you were kidding! How cool!!!

Stuntman on it's way! YAY!!!!!

Cheers, ma dears. :cD

Argh!

Both Slaveunit and Dark Mark have just won GAD.

I feel left out.

Well done ye both!

:-D