Tetris could help ward off symptoms of PTSD, according to an Oxford study

A single dose of psychological therapy, including a stint playing the classic computer game, can prevent the unpleasant and intrusive memories that develop in some people after suffering a traumatic event, researchers found.

Car crash victims were found to have fewer symptoms if they were asked to recall their memories and then play a 20-minute game of Tetris in hospital within six hours of admission.

Experts from Oxford University, the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and other organisations found that such flashbacks are less common among those who played the tile-matching puzzle game in an emergency department.

The study was led by Professor Holmes Emily Holmes at Karolinska and her Oxford colleague Dr Lali Iyadurai who studied 71 motor vehicle accident victims who were admitted to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Dr Iyadurai said: "This first week after trauma can be important for our patients, who have to go home, recover and look after themselves.

"Which can be hard to do if you're getting intrusive memories of the trauma, often several a day."

Professor Holmes said: "Anyone can experience trauma.

"It would make a huge difference to a great many people if we could create simple behavioural psychological interventions using computer games to prevent post-traumatic suffering and spare them these gruelling intrusive memories.

"This is early days and more research is needed."