Video games are usually linked to desensitisation of children on violence which results to aggressive behavior. But a new study from University of California-Irvine (UCI) has found some positive health benefits that may come from playing 3D video games- it can induce brain stimulation and memory improvement. The findings are especially beneficial to people with dementia.  

Medical News Today reported earlier this year that a study revealed that Tetris could reduce cravings. Some researches also suggested that story-based video games might help people with autism.

A new addition to the body of research on health benefits of video games has been added by UCI. The researchers suggested that 3D video games could possibly help people with dementia or other conditions associated with memory loss. The team's research findings are published in The Journal of Neuroscience.

Researchers Craig Stark and Dane Clemenson, of the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory at UCI, did the study by asking a number of non-gamer college students to choose and play either of two video games (2D game "Angry Birds" or the 3D game "Super Mario 3D world") for 30 minutes everyday for 2 weeks. 

The tests are set to engage the hippocampus - the brain region associated with memory and learning. Stark's current study along with other previous studies he conducted, revealed that the "ability to perform well on such tests reduces as we age."

What he found out is that those who played the 3D game (Super Mario 3D world)  improved memory performance by around 12% as compared with those who played the 2D game (Angry Birds) within the 2-week period. 

3D video games are more capable of improving memory since they contain more spatial information than 2D video games which limits the player in exploring the virtual world. Moreover, 3D games are significantly more complex, enabling the player to learn more and induces more brain stimulation.

According to Stark, video games activate cognitive processes: visual, spatial, attentional, motivational and emotional processes, as well as critical thinking, problem-solving and working memory.

"Immersive video games may be better suited to provide enriching experiences that translate into functional gains," Stark explains.