f13.net

Ted reported (accurately given the source): The most common cause of gaming death in Korea, according to Dr. Song Hyeong-gon, is pulmonary thrombo-embolism, a seizure of the cortex.

And from the linked article: "Because they are stressed by the obsession with winning the game, they consume a considerable amount of energy. In such a physically exhausted condition, exposure to bright colors or stimulating images on the screen is likely to irritate the cerebral cortex and can cause sudden death."

Is it just my bogosometer that's red-lined?

A pulmonary thromboembolism is a blood clot blocking the pulmonary arteries (those leading from the heart to the lungs). The "gaming deaths" in question may or may not have resulted from PTE, I don't know.

But this has nothing to do with the cerebral cortex. It is possible to induce seizures in response to "bright colors or stimulating images on the screen" as reported in the article, but these are well-known as photosensitive seizures that can be brought on by TV or computer games, but also by "flickering or reflected sunlight, lightning, car headlights, flickering artificial lights, arcade games, discotheque or Christmas lights, sharply contrasting patterns, and, rarely, self-induced exposure to flicking light e.g., waving a hand before the eyes."

It's just possible I suppose that someone susceptible to such seizures could have one after hours of play, and that this could cause death in an exhausted person who didn't receive immediate assistance. But that alone seems pretty strange, to say nothing of the supposed connection to PTE.

OTOH, maybe this is somehow related to consumption of foods high in trans-fatty acids, like chips and salsa, during game sessions? Maybe Cheetos should come with a warning for susceptible gamers?

Posted by: Mike Sellers | Dec 19, 2005 10:39:26 AM

In such a physically exhausted condition, exposure to bright colors or stimulating images on the screen is likely to irritate the cerebral cortex and can cause sudden death."