A study by doctors in Hong Kong has concluded that epilepsy can be induced by the Chinese tile game of mahjong. The findings, publish in the Hong Kong Medical Journal, were based on 23 cases of people who had suffered mahjong-induced seizures. The report's four authors, from Hong Kong's Queen Mary Hospital, said the best prevention - and cure - was to avoid playing mahjong. The study led the doctors to define Mahjong Epilepsy as a unique syndrome. Epileptic seizures can be provoked by a wide variety of triggers, but one cause increasingly evident to researchers, is the playing - or even watching - of mahjong. This Chinese tile game, by four players round a table, can involve gambling and quickly becomes compulsive. Demanding Intensely social, sometimes played in crowded mahjong parlours, the game involves the rapid movement of tiles in marathon sessions. The doctors conclude that the syndrome affects far more men than women, of an average age of 54, and can hit sufferers anywhere between one to 11 hours into a mahjong game. They say the attacks were not just caused by sleep deprivation or gambling stress. Mahjong is cognitively demanding, drawing on memory, fast calculations, concentration, reasoning and sequencing. The distinctive design of mahjong tiles, and the sound of the tiles crashing onto the table, may contribute. The propensity of Chinese people to play mahjong also deserves further study, the doctors say. What is certain though, is that the only sure way to avoid Mahjong Epilepsy, is to avoid mahjong, which for many people is easier said than done. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6931119.stm
Doesn't suprise me. Whatever you are abusing, there will be a point you will get a side-effect wich also can be epilepsy. It is only an unqiue syndrom as mah jong is just as unique as well. Having RSI is using mouse to much is unique, cuz nothing is like the mouse. it's only to scare off people. Is good make people aware of it but stop playing right away or not give it a chance to see how this ancient game works would be a lost in asian culture.
wow i need to stop playing so much now. me and my friends would play tong syu for like two days a week
they should all switch to playing poker .. at least that game is more slower paced.... and besides, i think the chinese make good bluffers (being one myself =)
Thanks >..< I agree with this wholeheartedly, it becomes increasing addictive and compulsive when money is involved. I've played straight through the night, for hours straight . . . Well, I'm still a "noob" compared to my friends, so I don't exercise much of my brainpower. Some tiles can be really ugly and hard to stare at. Luckily my friends have new and nice-looking tiles. We also use a mat (specially made for MJ) so that it's not as loud. But then again, I think MJ is all about the loud crashing tile sounds. It's more real.
Basing the study on 23 people is hardly anything! If we were talking about 23000, then I'd start believing. What rubbish!
