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Sex Makes Your Brain Grow
McLuhanesque writes "The Globe and Mail is reporting the findings of two researchers that "Mating triggers the development of new neurons in the smell centre of the brain, a finding researchers hope will provide clues on how to trick other parts of the vital organ to repair themselves after injuries caused by strokes or head traumas. ... Dr. Weiss and his colleagues discovered that prolactin levels -- and consequently new neuron production -- surge after mating ... And they found that if prolactin was introduced to the blood system by injection, it also stimulated production of new neurons for the olfactory bulb." For those with a subscription to Science, the abstract of the full article is here ."
.. that's not all that it makes grow! O=)
.. they include masterbation as sex? I.E. What's there defination of sex?
Only 'flamers' flame!
Come on baby... Don't you want to feel beautiful? Don't you know it'll make you smarter? Come on sugar and give it to me... Of course I love you.
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Does not work with manual override. Sorry guys!
Perhaps having sex often would give you the extra olfactory neurons needed to be a wine connoisseur or a perfume tester.
Finding out what controls the migration to the olfactory bulb would also be nice, especially if the mechanism could be hijacked to direct the neurons elsewhere. Cure Alzheimer's disease by having sex? Cram for a test by watching certain videos?
It might be interesting to see if the brain has its own mechanisms for directing the stem cells to places that need them. Suppose damage itself is a trigger for migration? Perhaps prolactin injections alone could alleviate stroke damage by stepping up the stem cell production, with the new stem cells migrating to the damaged area.
Maybe the reason spinal cord injuries are so hard to heal is that people paralyzed from the neck down get less sex than they used to?
That would be an interesting grant proposal...
Free book: Science Toys You Can Make
And how does this concern the average Slashdot reader?
"When all else fails, there's always delusion." -Conan O'Brien
READ THE ARTICLE - it says that both sex and pregnancy add nerve cells to the part of the brain that handles SMELL. NOT IQ. NOT memory.
Maybe this explains morning sickness. Any why she starts bitching about your dirty clothes, room, etc. after a while. And why her perfume doesn't smell as cool as it used to.
Maybe this ain't so good after all, eh?
It's easy to make up & spread cool- and credible-sounding stuff. Finding & checking hard facts is hard work.
Makes a portion of the brain "grow".
Doesn't have anything to do with intelligence.
Science: Slashdot Has Effects Opposite Those of Sex
...that's why I can't smell anything.
Welcome to the land of the free...pay toll ahead...no photography...please open your bag...
Bah, screw first post. First *grunt*! :) Yeah, i'll burn for that.
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ping -f 255.255.255.255 # if only
That all slashdoters have had the maximum amount of sex in a previous lifetime?
Photos.
As opposed to something truly satisfying -- like the gentle smile on her face, the close physical space (snuggling), the tenderness in the touching -- and of course the huge release of endorphins we experience together. Plus the knowledge that at if we try at certain tims we might even add an interesting addition to our small family -- you know -- participating in the creation of a new life.
*sigh* Where's the study that shows how much more these important things make new neuronal connections grow...
...Open Source isn't the only answer -- but it's almost always a better value than the alternatives...
Wow, that explains so much...
Yeah, those head traumas from strokes to your vital organ can be painful.
There's no place I can be, since I found Serenity.
We knew right away when my wife got pregnant this time. Before she had even missed her first period her sense smell had gone into overdrive. Last time she couldn't even go into the meat department in the grocery store. Yesterday she was sniffing our 18mth old daughter and telling me how good she smelled. Fortunately I haven't had to take over all the diaper changing of our toddler yet. But I wouldn't be surprised if that is coming soon.
I think it is a self-preservation thing in that helps prevent her from eating spoiled meat or moldy fruit - she can smell these from across the room.
However as to making you smarter, any gain in brain capacity during pregnancy more than lost in memory function after childbirth. Most new mothers blame this on lack of sleep, but I think there is likely a hormonal aspect to it as well.
Sounds like somebody is making a commission off of new subscriptions to "Science".
Yeah, but since I've had no occasion for brain-growing activities lately, a subscription to "Science" would be a waste of my money...
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This probably has to do with human pheromones, which are detected through a part of the olfactory system. Pheromones are utilized during both sex and the search for a mate.
and those with subscriptions to a mag called 'science' are NOT the ones who benefit from actually having sex.
--
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
Einstein was a sex GOD!
*** *** You're just jealous 'cause the voices talk to me... ***
Definitely a cure best performed in the privacy of your own home.
dominionrd.blogspot.com - Restaurants on
How smart were they before they had sex? I think this topic needs further investigation. May I be a research subject?
Hmmm, perhaps instead of a subscription to Science, maybe Hustler or Screw magazine?
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
--Dr.W.Edwards Deming