Metabolic and Endocrine Changes Determined in Saliva of Adolescents Engaged in Computer Gaming

Abstract

Passion for computer games negatively affects the health level of schoolchildren. Among the approaches to monitoring the functional state of such schoolchildren, the most informative and painless is the study of the saliva. The study involved 45 children, aged 14.00 ± 0.21 years, and divided according to the contact’s intensity with computer games. The following indicators of lipid peroxidation (LPO) were determined in the saliva: indicators of the antioxidant (AO) system, concentration of immunoglobulin A, and hormonal indicators. The significant increases in the catecholamine (adrenaline) level for 2.3 times and biogenic amine–serotonin for 35.5% and increase in the LPO-DC product concentration in gamers for 75.8% were revealed. The study of the schoolchildren’s homeostasis peculiarities confirmed the adequacy of the use of biochemical techniques to assess the condition of children gamers. They have a prenosological condition. This is reflected in the increase in LPO intensity, failure of the protective AO system, imbalance of hormonal state, and immunity deterioration. Information on the evaluation of the LPO activity processes and the AO system condition and the degree of the balance’s shift between prooxidants and antioxidants in biological substrates can be considered objective and very sensitive indicators of the general condition, activity, and improvement of the regulation and maintenance of homeostasis.

Effects of digital games training on hormonal responses and brain plasticity

“…Several cognitive domains appear to be sensitive to changes in serotonin such as memory, attentional functions notably focused and sustained attention, and cognitive flexibility (Schmitt et al, 2006;. Podrigalo et al (2020) examined the metabolic and endocrine changes of forty-five schoolboys engaged in computer gaming. The participants were divided into two groups: the active players' group (n=26) and the control group which consisted Research, Society and Development, v. 12, n. 2, e20512239568, 2023 (CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v12i2.39568 of 19 schoolboys who did not play computer games at all.…”

Video Gaming Reduces Circulating Creatine Levels in Young Male E-Gamers

“…However, the impact of a single session of video gaming attracted much less research interest, giving grounds for quantifying a possible acute metabolic burden of this everpopular form of leisure activity. Recent studies demonstrated a number of biochemical correlates of single-session video gaming [6], including an increase in glucose metabolism and energy expenditure [7], cortisol/catecholamines alterations [8], and oxidant-antioxidant perturbations [9]. Interestingly, no studies so far assessed whether acute video gaming affects creatine metabolism, a metabolic pathway critical in replenishing immediate energy for cells and tissues with high and intermittent energy fluctuations [10].…”

Effect of Electronic Cigarettes on Oral Microbial Flora

“…This microbiota participates in a wide variety of metabolic and immunological functions including differentiation of mucosa, maturation of local immune system, degradation of toxins, maintenance of the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory balance, provision of "colonization resistance" and prevention of systemic diseases [6,7]. Studies have shown that cigarette smoking contributes to the link between oral microflora dysbiosis and gastrointestinal diseases of tobacco smokers [8][9][10]. Despite well-documented adverse effects of tobacco consumption, cigarettes use is still rising in Ukraine and part of the increase is related to the popularization of alternative electronic nicotine delivery devices, such as electronic cigarettes (ECs).…”

“…To our knowledge, there are studies that address the tobacco cigarettes, dokha and shisha smoking effects on oral microbiota [9,12,13]. However, information about the effect of EC aerosol exposure to oral bacteria remains scarce and limited to a small number of species isolated in culture media [14].…”