A study of people playing video games showed it’s possible to predict video-game performance by measuring the volume of specific brain structures, scientists including a University of Pittsburgh psychologist reported Wednesday in the journal “Cerebral Cortex.”

The study provided more evidence that specific parts of the brain profoundly influence a person’s ability to refine his or her motor skills, learn new procedures, develop useful strategies and adapt to a quickly changing environment.

Such data might be useful in education, where longer training periods may be required for some students, or in treating disability or dementia, where information can shed light on the brain regions affected by injury or disease, said Kirk Erickson, a Pitt psychology professor.

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