Tetris can alter the structure of the brain.

News Card #2
David Sanderson

"Tetris can alter the structure of the brain"

In a recent study, funded by the publishers of the game Tetris and authoured by investigators at the Mind Research Network, it has been claimed that playing the game Tetris can have a visible effect upon the brain.
Playing the game, they claim, has two distinctive effects on the brain. Some areas of the brain they say showed greater efficiency and in different areas they say there is evidence of a thicker cortex (meaning more grey matter).
The scientists who carried out the study say that focusing on a "challenging visuospatial task" like a videogame can actually alter the structure of the brain, not just increase brain activity.
Dr Richard Haier a researcher on the project says that this "demonstrates that a player of Tetris does see lasting effects that generalise to other activities" showing for example that engaging in activities like playing some games might help fight off the mental decline that occurs with ageing.

Source: WWW.WIRED.CO.UK