Increased Prefrontal-Parietal EEG Gamma Band Correlation during Motor Imagery in Expert Video Game Players

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of this study was to characterize the prefrontal-parietal EEG correlation in experienced video game players (VGPs) in relation to individuals with little or no video game experience (NVGPs) during a motor imagery condition for an action-type video game. The participants in both groups watched a first-person shooter (FPS) gameplay from Halo Reach during five minutes. None of the participants was notified as to the content of the video before watching it. Only the VGPs showed an increased right intrahemispheric prefrontal-parietal correlation (F4-P4) in the gamma band (31-50 Hz) during the observation of the gameplay. These data provide novel information on the participation of the gamma band during motor imagery for an action-type video game. It is probable that this higher degree of coupling between the prefrontal and parietal cortices could represent a characteristic pattern of brain functionality in VGPs as they make motor representations.

Keywords

• motor imagery
• FPS videogames
• EEG correlation
• prefrontal and parietal cortex
• gamma activity