But a large new US study published in JAMA Network Open on Monday indicates there may also be cognitive benefits associated with the popular pastime.Lead author Bader Chaarani, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont, told AFP he was naturally drawn to the topic as a keen gamer himself with expertise in neuroimagery.They looked at survey answers, cognitive test results, and brain images from around 2,000 nine- and ten-year-olds, who were separated into two groups: those who never played games, and those who played for three hours or more a day.After using statistical methods to control for variables that could skew results, such as parental income, IQ, and mental health symptoms, the team found the video gamers performed consistently better on both tasks.Right now it’s not possible to know whether better cognitive performance drives more gaming, or is its result, said Chaarani."