The size of brain areas in the striatum, a region deep within the cerebral cortex, has a measurable effect on specifc types of video game performance, ten neuroscientists have found.

They conducted an experiment in which each subject received 20 hours of training to play a video game specifically created for research purposes. Some of the players were told to focus exclusively on running up a high score, while others were told to shift their priorities between several goals.

Each subject’s brain was measured using high-resolution MRI scans to map the relative size of structures in the striatum. Those who had more volume in an area of the striatum called the nucleus accumbens did significantly better in the early stages of training, while those with more volume in the caudate nucleus and putamen handled the shifting strategies better.

The nucleus accumbens has been linked to the brain’s emotional response to reward and punishment. The caudate and putamen have been implicated in learning procedures and new skills.