Medical researchers comparing the brains of people addicted to online games and those addicted to drugs claim the same parts of the brain are affected in both cases, an insight which will come as little surprise to anyone familiar with MMORPGs.
The Korean research team used PET scans to analyse brain activity, and found the “game addicts” to have elevated activity in the areas such the orbitofrontal cortex and caudate nucleus compared to non-gamers.
Subsequent comparisons between the brains of MMO addicts (illustrated above on the right) and cocaine addicts (on the left) revealed similar patterns of activity.
The researchers express their hopes that these results will lead to a recognition of MMO addiction as a medical condition:
“These research results demonstrate that online gaming addiction requires specialised medical treatment just as narcotics addiction does, and we hope it will be recognised as just such a mental illness.”
Via Internet.com.
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So that's why I had that weird itchy feeling around my orbitofrontal cortex and caudate nucleus lately!
So now Game addiction has a possibility of being categorized as a mental illness...?
Bravo, Experts.
Indded.
If you dont know in Sweden they have hospital where they cure this things. I mean game addicts.
Even China have something similar but you know China style.
Then yes this can be classifad as illness.
Remember playing game can hurts you.
As many other things do or can.
Back to playing crappy games like Europa Universalis.
How's 'bout being addicted to EU3? :P I nearly failed to get my master's degree 'casue of that one :P
Well, both are "addictions"...
And both do "stimulate" you in a way...
While giving you that "awesome" feeling...
But at least most of us don't have a controller glued to our hands 27/4 (well, some of us?)
i'm glad i quit RuneScape and other Online Role Playing Games =D
Well, quitting RuneScape is a very good thing, but why would reading such a report scare you away from playing MMORPGs?
Brains of addicts look like brains of addicts.
Well no junk Sherlock.
Maybe it's because some people have a predisposition to being addicted to something and it does not matter what it is??? Take the videa games away and they find something else to be addicted to.
Does that mean we can get drug addicts addicted to games instead of drugs, or vice versa?
How about a study to tell us how many rapists, robbers, kidnappers, and hooligans are mmo players?
@ExtrovertedOtaku
HOLY SHIT! 27/4?? man these gamers are WAAAY more addicted than me...
So does fapping use the same brain activity too?
They are just desesperate to make more money from it. I was addict to FFXI a lot, and still I managed to let it go (stopped to play) just as well, of course sometimes I wanted to go back, and ended stopping playing since 2007.
Ahhh... So, the more I play, the more I can take days off from school or work?
Ah... So the more I play, the more I can take days off from school or work?
If they find a form to turm the people addicted to work and study it will be a good thing to humanity.
NO, for gods sake. If they find a form to turn the people addicted to work I quit the world. Just nuke it from the orbit. Thats an horrible, horrible idea.
Sorry, already exists
Roll on the Workaholic
Yep, everything's considered a mental illness these days.
*depression lv. at C after reading this crap*
> So that's why I had that weird itchy feeling around my orbitofrontal cortex and caudate nucleus lately!
It's an itch you gotta scratch...
It wasn't my dream but it fits like a glove
Nano narcotic bringin peace and love Oh Yeah
Could you help me scratch my electric itch
It makes me look good but it's startin to make me twitch
Won't you Stop Me Stop Me Stop Me
Stop Me Stop Me Stop Me Stop Me
as surprising as it may seem, the brain cannot 'feel', even though it is full of nerve cells. so one cannot have an ichty feeling around his orbitofrontal cortex and caudate nucleus.
oh and i didn't miss the joke.
You hurt my brains feelings.
Don't mind it.
Then why do people have headaches?
I was sure it's my nerve cells complaining...
The fact that your brain cannot feel pain doesn't mean that the rest of the head doesn't either.
Wikipedia explains it far better than I could, so I'll save myself the trouble:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headache
This really bother me. What treatments are available. Do they recommend a prescription?
So that's why I had that weird itchy feeling around my orbitofrontal cortex and caudate nucleus lately!
You win the game for that one.
i have itch in my pants , am i video game addict too ?
No.. That's just you getting your first boner!
No, it's Lupus.
it's never lupus
Herpes.
It's sarcoidosis.
Too much fapping, my friend.
These studies don't ever mean anything, the same part of the brain is stimulated when you take a shit as when you have oral or anal sex. Does that mean every guy who takes a shit is also possibly gay?
The brain functions on many levels and use the same areas of the brain for MANY things.
No surprise there really. Large MMO companies will certainly take a hit if this develops into something more serious in the medical field.
what about porn or sex addicts cause i get affected elsewhere
I'm fairly sure my brain activity is like this when i see a loli.
Actually all addictive things affect the same parts... I remember that chocolate addicted people have that too.
Indeed, but people are always searching for new things to demonize.
Everything in excess is problematic but that simple truth seems to be hard to grasp by most.
But save for the warning on FFXI, the insistent message on Guild Wars "You have been playing for X hours, you should take a break" there isn't a no brainer "you should probably stop, take back, breathe and go on with your life." message especially on the more addictive MMO's.
Sure it's simple to say, "do things in moderation!", but are you really going believe that people who play MMO's will do that?
Everybody needs an enemy, anon.
no more chocolate, let's be healty!
no more chocolate, let's be healthy!
hahahaha
*snort*
go figure someone would stick these two together, in which some people can get addicted....
Okay, the "This is an Addict's brain" thing has been around a long time. It replaced "This is a Negro's brain" and comparison to gorilla skulls once that became no longer fashionable. And they can always find scientists, doctors, etc. to say things that can seem to back them up.
I do believe that activity stimulates the brain. I'm just worried that if the "This is an addict" becomes enshrined in definition of diseased/addicted etc. it'll hurt humanity because the "Joe Normal" of modern bland PC consumer culture probably is not suited to any time in history besides barely the 'modern' age and is very prone to addictions and stupid risky behavior in instinctive search of something else. Why else is almost all the MMORPGs about escaping into either futuristic, war torn or mideavalist worlds?
But Negroids and Gorrillas do have the same minds.
How else can you explain the primitive music, and general uncouth attitude?
Obama's got your back
Run!
There is a big black man chasing you!
"primitive music, and general uncouth attitude"
I just say two things to you, whitey: Techno and Amerikan people.
We whites are not even a little bit better than the negroids, we're the same species. So, just sit back, and play games fascist.
The strangest thing is, they have a 'normal person's brain'. Just where did they find a perfectly normal person? Or is that brain stashed in a jar in Paris' Weights and Measures Hall (or whatever that place with the iridium meter is called)?
For that matter, is being a normal person a good thing, and everyone else should get medical treatment? You know, normal people don't live very long, have lots of stress they need to relieve, and don't get paid that much.
There is no such thing as normal, only average. And to get an average brain, you'd have to mash a bunch of them together, and all that stuff, and its too messy for all these 'scientists.' I notice they didn't mention whether or not they were North or South Korean 'scientists.' It makes a difference.