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Chess is perhaps the ultimate game for boosting brain function. Research has shown that chess players use both sides of the brain when thinking about chess moves while they only use one side for less demanding activities. Chess grand masters also showed more activity in the frontal and parietal cortices which are the areas of the brain that focus on problem solving and recognition. On top of that, children who played chess for 18 weeks had higher IQ scores afterwards. Challenging your brain through activities such as chess which require concentration and thought has proven to help in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that playing chess and other thought-provoking games can delay the onset of the degenerative illness.
Chess is playable online from the desktop at numerous free sites, but a game that is even more prevalent and boasts greater popularity is poker. It’s estimated that some 40 million people play the strategic and psychological card game in the US and Europe alone, and a lot of games nowadays are played in an online setting. Because poker requires players to think and strategize in a number of different ways, it is also beneficial for the brain. Skilled poker players need to draw upon their memory and mathematical skills along with being able to detect psychological cues from their opponents. Poker is easy to play from the desktop, and can be downloaded quickly and easily. There are also numerous variations on offer too, from Texas Hold’em to Omaha Hi-Lo. The possibility to play traditional or quick-fire games means that players are kept on their toes and don't settle into a routine.
For young people, a lot of research has gone into developing games to stimulate and boost brain health. A clinical study by the University of Rochester of 114 young adults actually found that playing Halo 2 improved attention. The gamers were able to focus on multiple objects much faster than those who didn’t play the game. The study also found that games can improve decision-making skills, as they present players with different tasks from what they may be used to. One of the researchers, Daphne Bavelier, said that most training only leads to improvements at the specific task in hand. But if you push your brain to do something different and unexpected it can prepare it to deal with a wider range of problems.
For young people, playing games that stimulate brain activity could help them achieve higher results in school. For adults, strategic games have been proven to stave off degenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease. So if you’re wondering whether PC games are good for your family’s brain health, it really is a no-brainer.
