Tetris helps overcome post-traumatic stress

Researchers at Oxford University have discovered a positive facet of computer games, relating to those suffering stress after a traumatic event.

Tetris, to be specific, helps people to overcome trauma to some degree, due to the way the brain functions.

The BBC reports that the experiment which illustrated this involved taking 40 volunteers and playing them film footage of traumatic events. Think Clockwork Orange, but presumably without the eyelid clamps.

Afterwards, the guinea pigs were split into two groups, some being asked to just sit quietly and do nothing, with the other group playing Tetris.

The theory is that the six hours after a traumatic event is when our brain processes and solidifies the unpleasant memories of it.

Occupying our brain by playing a game interferes with this process, and particularly something like Tetris. This is because it’s a very visual and thoughtful game, that employs some of the same areas of the brain which record our memories.

Essentially, the Tetris playing volunteers were distracting themselves from forming the memories properly.

It appears the theory was borne out, as post-experiment the Tetris players reported less flashbacks than the other group, and those they did experience were less intense.

If only Alex had a Nintendo DS to hand after being subjected to the Ludovico technique, A Clockwork Orange might have been a very different film.