Whizwords

Brain Activity During Gameplay

Whizwords engages multiple brain regions involved in visual processing, attention, working memory, and motor control. Here's a breakdown of the primary areas being activated:

1. Visual Processing: Occipital Lobe (Primary & Secondary Visual Cortex)

  • Primary Visual Cortex (V1-V4): Detects shapes, colors, and motion as words and numbers flash across the screen.
  • Lateral Occipital Complex (LOC): Helps recognize letters, numbers, and shapes.
  • Fusiform Gyrus: Important for recognizing familiar patterns, like letters and words.

2. Motion Tracking & Eye Movements: Parietal Lobe

  • Dorsal Stream ("Where" Pathway): Helps track the movement of words and shapes across the screen.
  • Superior Parietal Lobule: Supports spatial attention—keeping track of objects moving at different speeds and directions.
  • Frontal Eye Fields (FEF) in the Prefrontal Cortex: Controls saccadic eye movements—rapid shifts in focus needed to follow fast-moving objects.

3. Attention & Speed Processing: Prefrontal Cortex

  • Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC): Engaged in working memory and decision-making, helping players remember sequences and anticipate movement.
  • Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC): Plays a role in cognitive control, helping players stay focused despite increasing speed and difficulty.

4. Memory & Sequence Recall: Hippocampus & Working Memory Circuits

  • Hippocampus: Important for encoding and retrieving short-term memories, like remembering the correct order of words or numbers.
  • Prefrontal Cortex (PFC): Stores working memory, keeping track of the sequence while planning the next move.
  • Basal Ganglia & Striatum: Helps reinforce learned sequences through repetition and habit formation.

5. Motor Planning & Response: Motor Cortex & Cerebellum

  • Premotor & Primary Motor Cortex: If the game requires a response (like typing or clicking), these areas coordinate finger movements.
  • Cerebellum: Important for timing and coordination, especially as speed increases.

What's Happening in the Brain as Difficulty Increases?

  • Visual System Works Harder: Faster-moving words engage motion-sensitive areas in the occipital and parietal lobes.
  • Memory Load Increases: The prefrontal cortex and hippocampus are more engaged as players recall longer sequences.
  • Attention Control Boosts: The anterior cingulate cortex helps suppress distractions.
  • Motor Responses Get Faster: The cerebellum and motor cortex fine-tune reaction timing.

This means your game is a great cognitive exercise that strengthens attention, memory, and processing speed—perfect for training brain flexibility!