Abstract
BackgroundNeuro-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.FindingsUsing a 3 T 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.ConclusionRegional 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.
Highlights
Neuro-imaging studies demonstrate plasticity of cortical gray matter before and after practice for some motor and cognitive tasks in adults
Regional cortical thickness changes were observed after three months of Tetris practice
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
Summary
Ethics Statement Each participant gave written assent and a parent gave written informed consent as approved by the University of New Mexico Institutional Review Board. Subjects and Procedure Because developing brains are most likely to show potential changes, we studied adolescents. We chose girls to minimize bias based on previous video game experience. Twenty-six girls aged 12-15 were recruited from advertisements and visits to schools. All were familiar with computers but none reported significant interest in computer game play (defined as playing any games requiring rapid visual-spatial puzzle solving on a regular basis) or significant exposure to Tetris (defined as playing more than one time, or watching someone else play more than three times). Brain injury, psychiatric history or were taking prescription medications. Girls were randomly assigned to either the Tetris practice group (n = 15) or the control group (n = 11). The groups did not differ on age (mean 13.1 +/- 1.1 vs 12.9 +/- 1.0, respectively, t = .51, NS), or FSIQ (113.8 +/- 13.4 vs 115.7 +/11.4, t = .40, NS)
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