ArticleAnnals of African medicine2026
Effect of Violent Video Games on Heart Rate Variability with Different Durations among Nonhabitual Young Adults: A Quasi-experimental Study.
Article in Annals of African medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundTo evaluate the effect of playing violent video games on the heart rate variability (HRV) with different durations in nonhabituated young adults.
methodsThe present study was a quasi-experimental study, conducted in the department of physiology at an institute after obtaining the ethics approval. A total of 166 healthy participants (males and females aged 18-24 years; 83 in each group) were enrolled in the study and were divided into two groups based on their habit of playing video games. The participants who played violent video games were included in the study group, and participants who played nonviolent video games were included in the control group. HRV (time domain and frequency domain) parameters were measured before the game play, 15 min of game play, and after 30 min of game play.
resultsThe results of our study showed that participants who played nonviolent video games led to increased increased standard deviation of normal to normal intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), and total power, indicating parasympathetic dominance. Conversely, participants who played violent video games showed decreased SDNN, pNN50%, and RMSSD, reflecting decreased parasympathetic activity and increased low frequency (LF), reflecting sympathetic dominance, suggesting immediate postgame play sympathetic dominance. Minimal changes were observed in the high-frequency percentage in violent video games. A statistically significant difference was also observed in the LF/high frequency ratio, indicating sympathetic activation in the study group. Blood pressure and pulse rate before and after the game play were also significantly increased in the study group.
conclusionOur research findings implicate an upsurge in sympathetic activity and decreased parasympathetic activity in individuals playing violent video games. Monitoring HRV offers insights into cardiovascular fitness and well-being. The study underscores the demerits of playing violent video games on a daily basis.
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