Improvements in empathic accuracy after Crystals gameplay were associated with strengthened amygdala–MPFC resting-state connectivity relative to Bastion¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · causal r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2018 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? The relationship between empathic accuracy improvement and VMPFC–right amygdala connectivity change was significantly greater for Crystals than Bastion participants, with no significant relationship within Bastion. → Kral 2018 q3 i? The same pattern held for DMPFC–right amygdala connectivity: improved empathic accuracy was associated with increased connectivity in Crystals compared to Bastion participants. → Kral 2018 (2)

Evidence¶

Kral 2018¶

Kral, T. R. A., Stodola, D. E., Birn, R. M., Mumford, J. A., Solis, E., Flook, L., Patsenko, E. G., Anderson, C. G., Steinkuehler, C. & Davidson, R. J. (2018). Neural correlates of video game empathy training in adolescents: a randomized trial. npj Science of Learning 3:13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-018-0029-6

q3 · i? · causal · r2

ROI analysis of resting-state connectivity change in the randomized trial; within Crystals, improved empathic accuracy was associated with increased right amygdala–VMPFC connectivity (t(29) = 2.95, p = 0.01, b = 0.90), while "there was no statistically significant relationship in the Bastion group" (t(31) = 0.10, p = 0.60).

"The relationship between changes in empathic accuracy and VMPFC – right amygdala rs-fMRI was significantly greater for Crystals versus Bastion ( t(60) = 2.23, p = 0.03, b = 0.79, CI = [0.08, 1.50]"

Kral 2018 (2)¶

Kral, T. R. A., Stodola, D. E., Birn, R. M., Mumford, J. A., Solis, E., Flook, L., Patsenko, E. G., Anderson, C. G., Steinkuehler, C. & Davidson, R. J. (2018). Neural correlates of video game empathy training in adolescents: a randomized trial. npj Science of Learning 3:13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-018-0029-6

q3 · i? · causal · r2

Parallel ROI analysis for DMPFC–right amygdala connectivity showed the same pattern: a significantly positive relationship within Crystals (t(29) = 2.48, p = 0.02, b = 0.79) and no significant relationship within Bastion (t(31) = −0.70, p = 0.95). No group difference in connectivity change itself was found for either seed.

"improved empathic accuracy from pre-intervention to post-intervention was associated with inreased rs-fMRI connectivity in Crystals participants compared to Bastion ( t(59) = 2.42, p = 0.02, b = 0.96, CI [0.17, 1.70]"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Crystals gameplay increased DMPFC–posterior cingulate resting-state connectivity relative to Bastion, specific to the empathic accuracy-related network — related
• Playing the empathy training game Crystals of Kaydor produced no greater improvement in adolescents' empathic accuracy than playing the commercial control game Bastion — related
• Adolescents with higher empathic accuracy report higher empathic concern, and improvements in the two track together over training — related
• Adolescents who engaged more with Crystals' empathy training mechanics showed greater increases in empathic accuracy-related RTPJ activation, controlling for total playtime — related