Tetris helps cure the car-crash blues

Classic computer game is said to reduce post-traumatic stress after accidents

PLAYING Tetris in the hours after a distressing incident can help prevent the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study has found. Scientists conducted the research on 71 car crash victims as they were waiting for treatment at one hospital’s accident and emergency department.

They asked half of the patients to briefly recall the incident and then play the classic computer game, in which players arrange falling blocks of different colours and shapes. The others were given a written activity to complete. In both groups, the task was given within six hours of the accident. The researchers, from Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the University of Oxford, found that the patients who had played Tetris reported fewer intrusive memories, commonly known as flashbacks, in the week that followed.

“Since the game is visually demanding, we wanted to see if it could prevent the intrusive aspects of the traumatic memories from becoming established,” said Emily Holmes, a psychology professor at the Karolinska Institute.

She said this could take place “by disrupting a process known as memory consolidation”.

“It would make a huge difference to a great many people if we could create simple behavioural psychological interventions using computer games to prevent post-traumatic suffering and spare them these gruelling intrusive memories,” added Professor Holmes. “This is early days and more research is needed.”

Intrusive memories are one of the main symptoms of PTSD, an anxiety disorder developed by one in four people in motor accidents.

Tetris was created by Russian game designer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984. - The Independent