Have you suffered a major shock in the recent past? Play Tetris, for a new study has revealed that the popular computer game can wipe out the bad memories and reduce distressing flashbacks.

Researchers at Oxford University have found that playing Tetris, which involves moving coloured building blocks around, after a major shock can help in reducing the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

According to them, because the brain is split into two — one section is sensory and the other is analytical - and as there are limits to people’s abilities to do two things at a time, the computer game is able to “interfere with the way our memories are retained in the brain”.

“Tetris works by competing for the brain’s resources for sensory information. It specifically interferes with the way sensory memories are laid down in the period after trauma and thus reduces the number of flashbacks that are experienced afterwards,” lead researcher Dr Emily Holmes said.

In their study, the researchers showed 40 volunteers traumatic images of injury from various sources, including adverts highlighting the dangers of drink driving.

After waiting for 30 minutes, 20 of the volunteers played Tetris for ten minutes while the rest did nothing. The researchers found that those who had played the computer game experienced significantly fewer flashbacks over the next week, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Now, the researchers believe that the discovery could lead to new treatments for accident victims. “This is only a first step in showing that this may be a viable approach to preventing post-traumatic stress disorder.

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