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In recent years, researchers have been studying the effects of videogames on the human brain. One such study published in the journal NeuroRegulation shows that playing Super Mario 64 can lead to increased gray matter in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of older adults. This increase in gray matter is associated with improved short-term memory performance and a better measure of overall cognitive health as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

The study involved 10 volunteers aged between 55 and 75 who had no prior experience with videogames. They were tasked with playing levels of Super Mario 64 for 30 minutes per day for two months. The results showed that playing the game led to an improvement in their DLPFC gray matter volume, which is positively related to better cognitive performance.

Furthermore, participants also saw improvements in their MoCA scores, indicating better overall cognitive health relative to before they started playing the game.

The findings demonstrate how even short-term exposure to videogame play can lead to significant measurable benefits in people's cognitive abilities as they age. While further research may be needed to explore this phenomenon more thoroughly, it seems clear that videogame play can be used as a tool for improving not just physical but mental well-being too.

Citations:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5718432/ https://studyfinds.org/seniors-strengthen-brains-prevent-alzheimers-video-games-super-mario-64/ https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/alzheimers-mario-64/ http://www.fromthelabbench.com/from-the-lab-bench-science-blog/this-is-what-your-brain-looks-like-on-super-mario-mushrooms https://www.iflscience.com/playing-super-mario-64-increases-gray-matter-in-old-peoples-brains-45029f https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0187779 https://www.newsweek.com/improve-brain-function-playing-super-mario-and-other-video-games-science-says-741592 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321636131_Playing_Super_Mario_64_increases_hippocampal_grey_matter_in_older_adults