When it comes to the Electronics Sports League (ESL), competitive gamers are required to submit a random drug screening for performance-enhancing substances. Of what’s tested, cannabis is one of the few that’s debated.
Most people look at tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its ability to impair cognitive function. More particularly, it may actually worsen brain mechanics that are essential to gaming, such as basic motor coordination for complex tasks (i.e. planning, organizing, solving problems, making decisions, etc.).
However, most don’t consider cannabidiol (CBD) and its potential to enhance cognitive performance. While research remains preliminary, many scientists are discovering that CBD’s ability to reduce symptoms of health conditions (and not cause psychoactivity) is actually beneficial for brainpower.
In turn, gamers who struggle with a specific health condition (such as anxiety) will likely find they’re more relaxed and level-headed when gaming on CBD oil.
But how much do we know about CBD’s cognitive-enhancing effects? And how exactly do these effects pertain to gamers? We invite you to follow along as we answer these questions.
Why is Cognitive Performance Essential for Gaming?
Before we dive into CBD, it’s important to understand how our brain operates when we play video games. Naturally, your brain’s reaction to outside stimuli has a lot to do with the type of information it’s receiving. In other words, it’s unlikely you’ll have the same reaction to a puzzle game as you would a violent video game.
Still, most video games feature similar stimuli for our brains, including fast speeds, high perceptuality, and unpredictability. These features can increase activity in brain regions linked to anxiety, arousal, and emotional reaction. Furthermore, they can simultaneously decrease activity happening in the frontal lobe which is responsible for emotional regulation and executive control.
As …
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Author: Paul James / High Times
