Tetris blocks traumatic flashbacks even after the memory is fixed

8 July 2015
New Scientist Default Image

Blocking trauma with coloured blocks (Image: Oli Scarff/Getty)


IT’S not just for fun. Tetris can help block flashbacks of traumatic events, even after the memory has fixed itself in your mind.

A team based at the University of Oxford asked volunteers to watch distressing video footage. A day later, they showed the volunteers stills from the video to reactivate the memory. Half of the participants then played the video game Tetris.


Over the following week, this group experienced half as many intrusive memories of the video as the group that hadn’t played Tetris. Together, the stills and game appear to reduce the impact of traumatic images, even after memories have been fixed by a night’s sleep (Psychological Science, doi.org/5zc).