Watching movies in 3D may boost brain power.

Image for representational purposes.

Watching movies in  3D may boost your brain power by sharpening cognitive skills and reaction times, a new study has claimed. In the study, participants showed a 23% increase in cognitive processing ability after watching a movie in 3D.

Their reaction times improved by 11%, and they experienced a "brain boost" for up to 20 minutes after viewing. The improvement in reaction time was five times that experienced by participants who had been watching a 2D movie.

"It is a fact that people are living longer and there is a noticeable decline in cognitive brain function in old age, which can impair future quality of life," said neuroscientist Patrick Fagan from the Goldsmiths University in UK said.

"The initial results of this study indicate that 3D films may potentially play a role in slowing this decline," said Fagan.

Fagan and Professor Brendan Walker of Thrill Laboratory, said 3D movies could be used to help improve the performance of surgeons and other professionals requiring superlative cognitive brain function, such as boxers or tennis players, The Guardian reported.

For the study, cognitive brain tests and brain-monitoring headsets were used to analyse moviegoers at the Vue cinemas in London.

Researchers also found that 3D provided more immersion for viewers than 2D, with a 7% uplift in engagement for viewers watching in stereoscope.