Washington (AFP) – Parents often worry about the harmful impacts of video games on their children, from mental health and social problems to missing out on exercise. But a large new US study published in JAMA Network Open on Monday indicates there may also be cognitive benefits associated with the popular pastime. Lead author Bader Chaarani, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont, told AFP he was naturally drawn to the topic as a keen gamer himself with expertise in neuroimagery. Prior research had focused on detrimental effects, linking gaming with depression and i…