{
  "id": 13006500,
  "title": "Video games in MRI scanners aim to map brains as they predict and adapt",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/video-games-in-mri-scanners-aim-to-map-brains-as-they-predict-and",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-09T02:20:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-video-games-mri-scanners-aim.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "For decades, neuroscientists have studied the human brain by asking individuals to lie very still inside a brain scanner and perform controlled tasks. While these experiments have provided valuable insights, they often fail to capture the complexity of real life, in which we constantly perceive the world, make predictions, decide on actions, and adjust our behavior based on outcomes. Now, researchers from Western University, led by neuroscientists Jörn Diedrichsen and Jody Culham, are aiming to study the brain in a more realistic manner by having participants play video games inside an fMRI scanner.\n\nThis project, part of the Digital Brain Project, seeks to create a comprehensive database of human brain activity. Supported by Meta, the project brings together researchers from various institutions to explore brain behavior across a wider range of cognitive states than typical brain imaging methods typically cover. Diedrichsen's lab has developed over 60 tasks that can be performed during an fMRI scan, allowing researchers to map brain activity under diverse conditions.\n\nDiedrichsen explains that brain activity can be likened to an extensive landscape, with different experiences and actions moving it to various locations. Conventional resting-state fMRI, while useful for observing spontaneous brain fluctuations, lacks the ability to control where in this landscape the brain goes. Diedrichsen and Culham saw an opportunity to combine their approaches, using video games to study both broad brain activity and the brain's response to interactive environments.\n\nVideo games, such as Pac-Man, naturally involve prediction, action, and feedback loops—processes that are distinctly different from tasks like looking at images and pressing buttons. In previous research, Culham's lab found that playing Pac-Man, interacting with the game environment, and receiving immediate feedback creates a \"closed loop\" between the player and the environment. This loop is missing from traditional brain imaging methods, which generally rely on participants performing isolated tasks.\n\nThe Digital Brain Project aims to bridge this gap by incorporating immersive video games into brain imaging studies. These games will feature rich 3D environments and first-person avatars, providing a more engaging and interactive experience for participants. The project will include a core set of tasks, such as kart racing, action games, digital puzzles, and more, while also allowing for the introduction of new tasks and game elements throughout the project.\n\nWestern University is upgrading its MRI equipment to support this ambitious study. The institution is investing in a 7-tesla MRI scanner, which offers higher-quality images than conventional systems. Additionally, Western is developing a 32-channel head coil to enhance data collection from deep brain structures like the cerebellum, thalamus, and midbrain. This upgrade is particularly important for Diedrichsen's research, which focuses on the cerebellum and its role in prediction and cognition.\n\nBy combining carefully designed cognitive tasks with immersive video games, the Digital Brain Project seeks to explore a broader range of brain states while also capturing the brain's adaptive processes. The upgraded MRI scanner will provide participants with more immersive gaming experiences, allowing researchers to observe how the brain responds to interactive environments in real-time.",
  "summary": "For decades, neuroscientists have studied the human brain by asking people to lie very still inside a brain scanner and perform carefully controlled tasks. Those experiments have revealed a remarkable amount about how the brain works. But they also leave out something fundamental.",
  "key_points": [
    "Researchers use video games to study brain activity during fMRI scans.",
    "Project part of Digital Brain Project, funded by Meta.",
    "7-tesla MRI scanner enhances brain imaging capabilities."
  ],
  "editors_take": "This development lets researchers map brain activity in more realistic scenarios, capturing adaptive processes and responses to interactive environments, by leveraging immersive video games and upgraded MRI technology.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}