|
|
If you haven't heard, the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) has been in town since Saturday for their annual meeting. The group boasts nearly 40,000 members and according to their website is "the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to advancing understanding of the brain and nervous system." The weekend of oral presentations and posters sessions have highlighted some of the most recent and cutting-edge developments in neuroscience this year, and one such development presented on Monday caught my eye in particular.
A team of researchers have found that spending time on the internet can improve brain function in older adults, after just a few days of surfing. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, scientists imaged the brains of test subjects aged 55-78 before and after spending time on the web. The results, some of which were published late last year, showed marked increases in brain activity in the regions controlling memory and decision-making. It's been known for some time that exercising the brain helps keep it healthy and functional as we age - brainteasers and Sodoku have been quite popular in maintaining active neurological function. These new data are perhaps a welcome sign of the times that the vast online environment can serve this brain-boosting function as well. (I wonder if internet shopping counts . . .?)
I have one living grandmother; she's 85, only recently (and reluctantly) stopped driving, and is well on her way to outliving all the rest of us. And remarkably, she's pretty internet-savvy. She's had email for years, and I think she googles her grandchildren from time to time. But she's not yet on Facebook, and still prefers to get her current events in newsprint format . . . maybe this new finding will convince her to log on more frequently? (Grandma Iris, if you're reading this?yes, I'm talking about you)
-Rabiah
Author's Note: Sources:
http://sfn.org/
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/10/19/web-surf-to-save-your-aging-brain.html
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/ucla-study-finds-that-searching-64348.aspx
http://newsblog.mayoclinic.org/2009/02/09/exercise-your-brain-to-prevent-memory-loss/
Editor's Note: For more blogs from Dr. Rabiah, visit Science Chicago's website at: http://www.sciencechicagoblog.com
|
