Jemma is playing the best video game ever. She has already conquered two continents and taken 400,000 prisoners. If she can reach the space rocket, she can invade Mars. But then she hears her mother's voice: "Get off that game now!"

Many parents worry about how video games affect their children. But scientists at VermontA state in the north east of the USA. University think they should be more relaxed.

The scientists studied 1,957 children aged nine or 10. There were 679 who spent at least three hours a day playing video games. The others did no gaming.

All were given tests to measure their brainpower - and the gamers did much better than the rest.

Another study found that video games could improve children's reading. Out of 150 pupils, half played an action game for two hours a week. The other half played a game that taught them to code.

The ones playing the action game learned to read more quickly and accurately than the others.

But a third study had worrying results. It found that 10% of teenage gamers became more anxious, shy, aggressive and depressed. 

In The New York Times this month, an entrepreneurA person who sets up their own business. called William Siu said he would not let his daughters play the games his company designs.

In China, there are harsh rules about gaming. People under 18 are only allowed to play on Fridays or weekends, or during the school holidays. Even then they are restricted to one hour, between 8pm and 9pm.

One reason given is that too much time on screens damages your eyesight. There has been a big increase in myopiaShort-sightedness around the world in recent years. But experts argue about whether gaming has played a part.

Addiction is another worry. A study in Britain, Germany, the US and Canada¹ estimated that 1% of adults spend so much time gaming that they cannot lead proper lives. 

Yes: The results from Vermont University indicate that they can do something hugely beneficial - improve memory. They also demand a high degree of concentration, which is why they help with reading.

No: Even if gaming is limited to two hours a day, as the UK government recommends, that is still a huge chunk of your life which could be better spent doing other things. Addiction is a real problem.  

Or... Board games offer the same benefits as video games, but also help your social skills, because you are dealing with other people face to face and not tiring your eyes by looking at a screen.