Latest research reveal another benefit of video game Tetris. Play this game after experiencing trauma, such as a car crash, could reduce the risk of disturbing flashbacks.
Researchers from the Karolinska University, Sweden, conducted the study with letting a car crash survivors to play Tetris in the emergency room six hours after the collision. Turns out they had a flashback more minimal, less than 62 percent of victims who did not do anything.
When flashback occurs means that the patient experienced a traumatic disturbing atmosphere. Memory can appear suddenly without warning. This is the early symptoms of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Therefore, people suffering flashbacks after a traumatic event are in high risk of long-term PTSD, the researchers said.
Researchers studied patients for a week. Therefore need further study to see the effects of long-term play tetris. Before being diagnosed with PTS, a person usually experience flashbacks and other symptoms of at least one month.
But researchers hope that one day, a game like Tetris can be "cognitive vaccine" to reduce the intrusive memory of trauma patients.
"A person can be traumatized," said Emily Holmes, professor of psychology at the university Karolinska, Sweden. "It would be a big difference for a lot of people if we can create a simple behavioral psychology put the computer game to prevent suffering post-traumatic and intrusive memory."
In a previous study, Holmes and colleagues colleagues found that playing Tetris can reduce the memory intrusive on someone who watched the video traumatic. Recent research from the lab is intended to test their applicability in the 'real world'.
The researchers argue, playing Tetris can disrupt the formation of long-term memory of a traumatic event. Because the game requires a high level of visual attention. Playing Tetris wear the same source in the brain to 'save' the visual memory of a traumatic event.
The latest study involved 71 people from the city of Oxford, England, who entered the emergency room after experiencing or seeing a car accident (as drivers, passengers, motorcyclists or pedestrians).
Participants were randomly selected to be included in the Tetris group or control group. In Tetris group, participants were asked about accidents suffered and gave a small speech to the researcher. It's so malleable memory reactivation before storage, researchers say. Then the participants played Tetris for 10 minutes. In the control group, participants were asked to write down the things they are doing in the emergency room.
Then, all participants are asked to write how many flashbacks experienced during this therapy.
Participants of the group experienced an average Tetris flashback during weeks 9 weeks of therapy. The control group experienced an average 23 flashback.
Many participants said that playing Tetris is easy and helps reduce stress, said researchers.
Some participants happy Tetris help them during recovery after a crash. According to Holmes, a man said, "Playing Tetris helps my mind focused and restoring 'normality' in my head. I do not lament the accident during hospitalization. Playing Tetris a little odd at the time, but it helps. "
According to investigators games similar games with high visual as Candy Crush, or activities such as drawing, there may be a similar effect.
Future research should also look at the effects of playing a game in a long time, or several times, the researchers said.
Researchers from the Karolinska University, Sweden, conducted the study with letting a car crash survivors to play Tetris in the emergency room six hours after the collision. Turns out they had a flashback more minimal, less than 62 percent of victims who did not do anything.
Researchers studied patients for a week. Therefore need further study to see the effects of long-term play tetris. Before being diagnosed with PTS, a person usually experience flashbacks and other symptoms of at least one month.
But researchers hope that one day, a game like Tetris can be "cognitive vaccine" to reduce the intrusive memory of trauma patients.
"A person can be traumatized," said Emily Holmes, professor of psychology at the university Karolinska, Sweden. "It would be a big difference for a lot of people if we can create a simple behavioral psychology put the computer game to prevent suffering post-traumatic and intrusive memory."
In a previous study, Holmes and colleagues colleagues found that playing Tetris can reduce the memory intrusive on someone who watched the video traumatic. Recent research from the lab is intended to test their applicability in the 'real world'.
The researchers argue, playing Tetris can disrupt the formation of long-term memory of a traumatic event. Because the game requires a high level of visual attention. Playing Tetris wear the same source in the brain to 'save' the visual memory of a traumatic event.
The latest study involved 71 people from the city of Oxford, England, who entered the emergency room after experiencing or seeing a car accident (as drivers, passengers, motorcyclists or pedestrians).
Participants were randomly selected to be included in the Tetris group or control group. In Tetris group, participants were asked about accidents suffered and gave a small speech to the researcher. It's so malleable memory reactivation before storage, researchers say. Then the participants played Tetris for 10 minutes. In the control group, participants were asked to write down the things they are doing in the emergency room.
Then, all participants are asked to write how many flashbacks experienced during this therapy.
Participants of the group experienced an average Tetris flashback during weeks 9 weeks of therapy. The control group experienced an average 23 flashback.
Many participants said that playing Tetris is easy and helps reduce stress, said researchers.
Some participants happy Tetris help them during recovery after a crash. According to Holmes, a man said, "Playing Tetris helps my mind focused and restoring 'normality' in my head. I do not lament the accident during hospitalization. Playing Tetris a little odd at the time, but it helps. "
According to investigators games similar games with high visual as Candy Crush, or activities such as drawing, there may be a similar effect.
Future research should also look at the effects of playing a game in a long time, or several times, the researchers said.
