RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Pellouchoud, E., Smith, M.E., McEvoy, L., & Gevins, A. (1999). Mental effort related EEG modulation during video game play: Comparison between juvenile epileptic and normal control subjects. Epilepsia, 40, Supple 4: 38-43.

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the effects of mental effort exerted during video game play on features of the EEG in juvenile subjects diagnosed with seizure disorders, and age-matched clinically healthy subjects. EEG was recorded from 14 children (9 to 15 years old) as they played a video game, watched another person playing a videogame, and sat quietly with their eyes open. Seven of the subjects had been clinically diagnosed with seizure disorders, 3 of which had also exhibited photosensitivity. Three spectral components of the EEG showed cognitive load-related modulation. The amplitude of a frontal midline theta (6 to 7 Hz) signal increased incrementally with task load. A posterior alpha band (9 to 12 Hz) signal was attenuated during the playing and the watching conditions relative to the resting condition. A central mu (10 to 13 Hz) rhythm was attenuated during the game playing condition. No significant differences were found between the patient and control groups for any of these features. Incidence of epileptiform events did not discriminate test conditions in the children with epilepsy. The results from this small sample suggest that video game play tends to produce similar responses from children with epilepsy and healthy control subjects. These responses in the juvenile population are similar to responses elicited by increased mental load in normal adult populations.