Editor´s Choice: Gaming
The video game industry is one of the most valuable sectors in the entertainment business with an estimated 215.5 million active players in the United States alone. According to the Entertainment Software Association, most players seek video games not only to have fun, but also to minimize stress from daily activities and to gain a sense of community. When played in excess, however, video games can have detrimental physical and psychological effects on players, potentially leading to issues such as Internet Gaming Disorder. On the other hand, research has shown the potential for beneficial physiological effects of video games, such as improved motor skills, creativity, and cognitive functions such as attention, spatial recognition, and decision making. As a result, task-specific games have been increasingly explored as tools for medical research, with exciting outcomes in paediatric and adult patients.
This Collection showcases some of our latest research on video games and their effects on players´ physical and mental health.
