Cognitive Effects of Video Game Use in Young People: A Literature Review

Abstract

The aim of this literature review was to analyze the relationship between video games and cognitive functions in young people. A search was conducted in academic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Dialnet, and Google Scholar) between 2020 and 2025, using Boolean connectors (*AND, OR, NOT*) and keywords such as video games, gamification, cognitive functions, Empirical articles and reviews addressing the youth population (12–25 years old) with analyses of cognitive functions were included. Studies with an exclusively clinical population, gray literature, and publications without access to full text were excluded. Forty articles were identified and classified according to the type of video game and the cognitive functions studied. The results show several categories of video games with positive effects on attention, working memory, executive functions, metacognition, and abstract reasoning. Similarly, results were obtained showing negative consequences on attention, self-regulation, and academic performance. In conclusion, the impact of video games on cognition is heterogeneous and depends on gender, context of use, and regulation of exposure time. These findings highlight the need to integrate video games in a pedagogical and regulated manner, as well as to continue researching their effects to maximize benefits and prevent risks associated with addiction.