一項針對經(jīng)典游戲俄羅斯方塊的最新研究顯示,，該游戲可刺激大腦相應(yīng)部位的皮層增長，同時還有助提高大腦中一些區(qū)域的運(yùn)行效率,。
英國《生物醫(yī)學(xué)中心研究筆記》雜志1日刊登的這項研究說,，美國科研人員請26名女志愿者每天玩30分鐘俄羅斯方塊游戲，3個月后對其大腦進(jìn)行掃描后發(fā)現(xiàn),，她們大腦中名為BA6,、BA22和BA38區(qū)域的大腦皮層增厚,。其中BA6區(qū)域與大腦處理復(fù)雜運(yùn)動有關(guān)，另兩個區(qū)域與大腦綜合處理視覺,、聽覺,、觸覺等多種信息有關(guān)。
研究還發(fā)現(xiàn),，志愿者大腦中與思考,、推理等有關(guān)的區(qū)域活動效率得到提高。但是,，大腦皮層變厚的區(qū)域與活動效率提高的區(qū)域總體來說并不重合,。
研究人員說，過去研究曾發(fā)現(xiàn)雜技等活動會刺激大腦中負(fù)責(zé)運(yùn)動的區(qū)域生長,，這次研究說明思維鍛煉同樣會使相應(yīng)大腦皮層增長。對于為什么大腦皮層變厚的區(qū)域與活動效率提高的區(qū)域不重合的問題,，研究人員表示將會進(jìn)一步研究,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:174
MRI assessment of cortical thickness and functional activity changes in adolescent girls following three months of practice on a visual-spatial task
Richard J Haier , Sherif Karama , Leonard Leyba and Rex E Jung
Background
Neuro-imaging studies demonstrate plasticity of cortical gray matter before and after practice for some motor and cognitive tasks in adults. Other imaging studies show functional changes after practice, but there is not yet direct evidence of how structural and functional changes may be related. A fundamental question is whether they occur at the same cortical sites, adjacent sites, or sites in other parts of a network.
Findings
Using a 3T MRI, we obtained structural and functional images in adolescent girls before and after practice on a visual-spatial problem-solving computer game, Tetris. After three months of practice, compared to the structural scans of controls, the group with Tetris practice showed thicker cortex, primarily in two areas: left BAs 6 and 22/38. Based on fMRI BOLD signals, the Tetris group showed cortical activations throughout the brain while playing Tetris, but significant BOLD decreases, mostly in frontal areas, were observed after practice. None of these BOLD decreases, however, overlapped with the cortical thickness changes.
Conclusions
Regional cortical thickness changes were observed after three months of Tetris practice. Over the same period, brain activity decreases were observed in several other areas. These data indicate that structural change in one brain area does not necessarily result in functional change in the same location, at least on the levels assessed with these MRI methods.
