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Fact Check: Playing video games destroys your brain

Fact Check: Playing video games destroys your brain

Published April 9, 2025
ByFactChecker 1.1 avatarFactChecker 1.1
✗
VERDICT
False

# Playing Video Games Destroys Your Brain: A Detailed Examination ## Introduction The claim that "playing video games destroys your brain" suggests a...

Playing Video Games Destroys Your Brain: A Detailed Examination

Introduction

The claim that "playing video games destroys your brain" suggests a negative impact of video gaming on cognitive function and brain health. This assertion raises concerns among parents and educators about the potential risks associated with video gaming, especially for children and adolescents. However, the scientific literature presents a more nuanced picture, with studies indicating both positive and negative effects of gaming on the brain.

What We Know

  1. Cognitive Benefits: Some research indicates that video gaming can enhance cognitive performance. A study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests that video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children, highlighting potential benefits for brain development 2.

  2. Structural Changes: Evidence from systematic reviews indicates that certain types of video games can lead to alterations in brain structure, particularly in areas associated with learning and memory, such as the hippocampus 17.

  3. Mixed Effects on Mental Health: While some studies link video gaming to improved psychological functioning, others warn of potential behavioral and mental health problems associated with excessive gaming 46. For instance, a study noted that increased gaming time could correlate with issues like obesity and decreased academic performance 10.

  4. Need for Further Research: Experts emphasize the necessity for more comprehensive studies that differentiate between various game genres and their specific impacts on cognition and brain function 35.

Analysis

The claim that video games destroy brain function is not universally supported by the existing body of research.

  • Supporting Evidence: The systematic review published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research outlines various cognitive benefits linked to gaming, including improved attention, spatial skills, and problem-solving abilities 1. This suggests that gaming can have positive effects on certain cognitive domains.

  • Contradicting Evidence: Conversely, the Harvard Health Blog notes that excessive gaming can lead to negative health outcomes, such as obesity and poor academic performance, particularly when gaming is associated with sedentary behavior 6. This highlights a potential downside that could be interpreted as detrimental to overall brain health.

  • Source Reliability: The sources cited include peer-reviewed articles and reputable health organizations, such as the National Institute of Health and Harvard Health. However, it is essential to consider the potential biases in studies funded by gaming companies or those with vested interests in promoting gaming. For example, while some studies may emphasize the positive aspects of gaming, they may underreport negative outcomes due to conflicts of interest.

  • Methodological Concerns: Many studies in this field rely on self-reported data regarding gaming habits, which can introduce bias. Additionally, the diversity of video game genres and their varying effects on the brain complicate the ability to draw definitive conclusions 35.

Conclusion

Verdict: False

The claim that playing video games destroys your brain is not substantiated by the available evidence. While there are concerns regarding excessive gaming and its potential negative effects on mental health and academic performance, numerous studies indicate that video gaming can also confer cognitive benefits, such as improved attention and problem-solving skills.

It is important to recognize that the relationship between video gaming and brain health is complex and influenced by various factors, including the type of games played and the context of gaming behavior. The evidence suggests that moderate gaming may not only be harmless but could also be beneficial in certain cognitive domains.

However, limitations in the research, such as reliance on self-reported data and potential biases in studies, mean that further investigation is necessary to fully understand the implications of video gaming on brain health. Readers are encouraged to critically evaluate information and consider the nuances of this topic rather than accepting blanket statements.

Sources

  1. Does Video Gaming Have Impacts on the Brain: Evidence from a Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research. Link
  2. Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children. National Institute of Health. Link
  3. Effects of computer gaming on cognition, brain structure, and function. Journal of Medical Internet Research. Link
  4. The Association Between Video Gaming and Psychological Functioning. Journal of Medical Internet Research. Link
  5. The Effects of Video Games on Cognition and Brain Structure. PubMed. Link
  6. The health effects of too much gaming. Harvard Health Blog. Link
  7. Mind Games: How Do Video Games Affect the Brain? University of Texas Permian Basin. Link
  8. How video games affect the brain. Medical News Today. Link
  9. Are Video Games Good for You? Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. Link
  10. Video games and the growing brain. Endeavor Health. Link

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And they deliberately lied and by the way Jake Tapper had a bombshell 01:08 book exposing the incredible scandal that Biden's mental decline was covered up by Jake Tapper. There's a Yiddish word and that truly is how dare we lie and cover up what we all knew. Now I have been asked literally a thousand times by Texans. Was running the country? And I'm going to give 01:40 you the most terrifying answer. I don't know. I genuinely don't know. And not a single Democrat here cares. The most telling proof of Biden's decline came with the signature of the president. The symbol of executive authority that was outsourced to a machine. Mister Wald you're a lawyer who served in the White House Council's Office. You understand the gravity of presidential action. Does the president's signature 02:10 carry legal and constitutional weight under article two? Yes. Is the act of signing an executive order or signing a law or granting a pardon a delegable duty of the president. Uh so in that opinion in 2005 from OLC they said essentially that an autopin could be used by a subordinate but the president's determination as to sign the document can never be delegated. Can that authority 02:41 be transferred to a staff or a machine without the president's explicit authorization? Never. And if you look at the statistics, the statistics are stunning. In 2021, President Biden issued 78 executive orders. None were signed with an auto pen. That first year the presidency, Biden I suppose was relatively lucid and 78 executive orders he signed by hand. The second year, however, we see the auto pen emerged. 03:15 The first auto pen executive order was issued on 15th 2022. After that day 100% of the executive orders issued in 2022 were signed by an autopen. In 2023 Biden issued twenty-four executive orders. 16 were auto penned. In 20twenty-four Biden issued 19. 14 were auto penned. In twenty twenty-5 Biden issued fourteen executive orders every single one was auto pins. 03:52 Mister Wald let me ask you as a legal matter if there's a law that's passed both houses of Congress and it goes to the White House and a staffer autopins signing that law without the president's authorization is that law legally passed and signed in the law? No. If an executive order is issued and a staffer autopins it without the president's authorization, is that executive order legally binding? No. And if a pardon issued from the President of 04:22 the United States and a staffer auto pens it without the president's authorization. Is that pardon legally binding? No. Under the Biden White House the ceremonial song hailed to the chief was effectively replaced with hail to the pen and it was an outright assault on democracy and every reporter covering this ought to ask why doesn't a Democrat care? We heard about the moral responsibilities of a staffer. 04:54 How about an elected senator who knows damn well that if we get into a war and Iran is preparing to fire a nuclear weapon at the United States that the commander in chief is busy playing with his jello and he's not competent to defend ourselves and every member of the cabinet, the chief of staff, the press secretary, and the members of Congress who lied about this on a daily basis with the press's complicity. They are all responsible for subverting democracy. Angry Ted Cruz is perhaps my favorite version of 05:27 Ted Cruz because when he's getting history on it, you might want to take a listen. He is definitely angry that there's some acting going on here in the line of hail to the chief change from hail to the pen that's not a smart line but it's still the truth. The truth is in this video right here ladies and gentlemen. 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Detailed fact-check analysis of: Transcript 00:00 For all of their strutting about protesting that they support democracy. Not a one of them gave a damn about democracy when they pulled Biden off the ballot and dropped Kamala Harris in without a single Democrat primary voter voting for him. And you know what? Not a single Democrat is here today because not a single one of them gives a damn about the fact that they lied to the American people for four years. They knew Every one of them knew that Joe Biden was 00:34 mentally not competent to do the job. The White House Press Secretary. She knew when she stood in front of the American people and lied over and over and over again and they're not here because they can't defend themselves. It wasn't a surprise for four years the White House hid President Biden from Republican Senators. Would not let him meet with us. He served 40 years in this body. We all know him. And they deliberately lied and by the way Jake Tapper had a bombshell 01:08 book exposing the incredible scandal that Biden's mental decline was covered up by Jake Tapper. There's a Yiddish word and that truly is how dare we lie and cover up what we all knew. Now I have been asked literally a thousand times by Texans. Was running the country? And I'm going to give 01:40 you the most terrifying answer. I don't know. I genuinely don't know. And not a single Democrat here cares. The most telling proof of Biden's decline came with the signature of the president. The symbol of executive authority that was outsourced to a machine. Mister Wald you're a lawyer who served in the White House Council's Office. You understand the gravity of presidential action. Does the president's signature 02:10 carry legal and constitutional weight under article two? Yes. Is the act of signing an executive order or signing a law or granting a pardon a delegable duty of the president. Uh so in that opinion in 2005 from OLC they said essentially that an autopin could be used by a subordinate but the president's determination as to sign the document can never be delegated. Can that authority 02:41 be transferred to a staff or a machine without the president's explicit authorization? Never. And if you look at the statistics, the statistics are stunning. In 2021, President Biden issued 78 executive orders. None were signed with an auto pen. That first year the presidency, Biden I suppose was relatively lucid and 78 executive orders he signed by hand. The second year, however, we see the auto pen emerged. 03:15 The first auto pen executive order was issued on 15th 2022. After that day 100% of the executive orders issued in 2022 were signed by an autopen. In 2023 Biden issued twenty-four executive orders. 16 were auto penned. In 20twenty-four Biden issued 19. 14 were auto penned. In twenty twenty-5 Biden issued fourteen executive orders every single one was auto pins. 03:52 Mister Wald let me ask you as a legal matter if there's a law that's passed both houses of Congress and it goes to the White House and a staffer autopins signing that law without the president's authorization is that law legally passed and signed in the law? No. If an executive order is issued and a staffer autopins it without the president's authorization, is that executive order legally binding? No. And if a pardon issued from the President of 04:22 the United States and a staffer auto pens it without the president's authorization. Is that pardon legally binding? No. Under the Biden White House the ceremonial song hailed to the chief was effectively replaced with hail to the pen and it was an outright assault on democracy and every reporter covering this ought to ask why doesn't a Democrat care? We heard about the moral responsibilities of a staffer. 04:54 How about an elected senator who knows damn well that if we get into a war and Iran is preparing to fire a nuclear weapon at the United States that the commander in chief is busy playing with his jello and he's not competent to defend ourselves and every member of the cabinet, the chief of staff, the press secretary, and the members of Congress who lied about this on a daily basis with the press's complicity. They are all responsible for subverting democracy. Angry Ted Cruz is perhaps my favorite version of 05:27 Ted Cruz because when he's getting history on it, you might want to take a listen. He is definitely angry that there's some acting going on here in the line of hail to the chief change from hail to the pen that's not a smart line but it's still the truth. The truth is in this video right here ladies and gentlemen. 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