Did you play Tetris when you were little? If so, you've probably got more brain than folks who didn't!
Results of a new study about to be released by the Mind Research Network later this week reveal that playing Tetris regularly not only causes parts of the brain to grow stronger, but it can actually cause a person's total amount of cortex to increase. The findings came from performing CAT scans on a test group of adolescent Tetris-players and a control group of non-players the same age. By the end of the three month test period, the Tetris-players had bigger and better-functioning brains!
The scientists chalk this up to how a “challenging visuospatial task” can enhance brain function and even alter its structure. Dr. Richard Haier, one of the study's authors, thinks in the future Tetris might be linked to "lasting effects that generalize to other activity." It's even being speculated that regular Tetris play might help people fight off the mental declines that occur as part of the aging process.
So even you old folks reading this-- go play Tetris! You've got no excuses anymore!
