LargeThumbA great source of information on the latest advances in the study of Neurology is the Neurology Now site,  a highly regarded journal for patients and their caregivers published by the American Academy of Neurology. In the most recent June/July 2014 issue, Dr. Greenfield was interviewed on the subject of “Game Theory: How do video games affect the developing brains of children and teens?”. According to Dr. Greenfield, gaming has definite addictive properties, as

“Playing video games floods the pleasure center of the brain with dopamine,” says David Greenfield, Ph.D., founder of The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. That gives gamers a rush—but only temporarily, he explains. With all that extra dopamine lurking around, the brain gets the message to produce less of this critical neurotransmitter. The end result: players can end up with a diminished supply of dopamine.

Take a game like that away from addicted adolescents and they often show behavioral problems, withdrawal symptoms, even aggression, according to Dr. Greenfield.”

The complete story in the Neurology Now journal can be found here.