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RADIOLOGY SUBSPECIALTY NOTES

June 2003, Volume 8, Number 5

Functional brain imaging: Evaluation of the effects of violent media exposure

The exposure of children to violent video games and media programs is commonplace in today’s society

Although there is mounting evidence that such exposure is detrimental to the emotional and physical well-being of children and youth, there is little information on the neurophysiological consequences of such viewing on the developing brain.

In this review, by using various imaging techniques, the authors provide preliminary evidence that violent visual images may have a damaging effect on the frontal lobe function of young viewers. These preliminary findings, presented at a poster session of the Radiology Society of North America in 2002 should spur more research in children. The majority of studies have been conducted in adults with underlying neuropsychiatric disorders, not on naïve individuals, and have reported abnormal findings, particularly in the frontal lobes, when these subjects are exposed to violent images.

Some questions that may be addressed in the future include whether the frontal lobe neurobiological changes observed by changes observed in the functional magnetic resonance images (fMRI) are transient or do they become permanent with excessive exposure; whether the age of the child is critical; whether the function is different between normal children and those with neuropsychiatric problems; whether there a difference in the function of the frontal lobes between viewing violent video games and TV programs, and ‘regular TV programming’; and does disruption of the frontal lobe function alter executive functioning and thus adversely effect long term academic performance?

Robert HA Haslam MD FRCPC

Okotoks, Alberta

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