Sex Boosts Brain Growth

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Posted by CmdrTaco on Monday August 2, 2010 @04:23AM from the do-it-for-my-brain-baby dept.

climenole writes "Sex apparently can help the brain grow, according to new findings in rats. Sexually active rodents also seemed less anxious than virgins, Princeton scientists discovered. Past findings had shown that stressful, unpleasant events could stifle brain cell growth in adults. To see if pleasant albeit stressful experiences could have the opposite effect, researchers studied the effects of sex in rats."

44 of 251 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Bullshit by elrous0 · 2010-08-02 04:23 · Score: 5, Funny

If that were the case /. would be full of retards and the NBA would be full of geniuses.
I'll believe it when Jon Bon Jovi announces that he's found the Higgs Boson.

--
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
1. Re:Bullshit by WrongSizeGlass · 2010-08-02 04:28 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  it's not bullshit.
  Look at how much arguing there is on slashdot, we are all quite stressed...
  Says you !
2. Re:Bullshit by bsDaemon · 2010-08-02 04:29 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Just because they chose to focus on physical mastery over themselves, then managed to get a sweet gig making millions of dollars doing something fun doesn't make them "morons." Hell, if I could make a mint playing games all day, why would I bother looking for the Higgs Boson?
  Besides, consider the following: The major goal in any living being's life is to ensure the survival of his genes. Those who get the most action have the best chance of doing so, which means on a sub-conscious, primal level they're going to have less to worry about. That means they won't be distracted from focusing on what's important to them.
  If more nerds got some, maybe we'd have the Higgs Boson on lock already.
3. Re:Bullshit by MessedRocker · 2010-08-02 04:37 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Why limit sex strictly to intercourse? Surely there are Slashdotters out there who masturbate frequently.
4. Re:Bullshit by cayenne8 · 2010-08-02 04:40 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Hmm...does the sex have to be with someone else in order to be effective?
  If not, that might explain the /. crowd....
  
  --
  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
5. Re:Bullshit by macbeth66 · 2010-08-02 04:40 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  hmmm...
  Make millions playing a kid's game and screw a different blonde, or redhead, every night or live in poverty while chasing the Higgs Boson.
  oh, which to choose? Which to choose?
  So, who is really smarter? The guy that lived with a basketball growing up, or the guy who lived with that physics text book?
6. Re:Bullshit by V!NCENT · 2010-08-02 04:41 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Stressed and axious people are not the typical types that lead. Leaders are more atractive because they are garanteed to protect others from dying in certain dangerous situations.
  Evolution theory, bitches.
  That doesn't mean that your typical athlete would ever outgrow the brains of who is too stressed to let his/her brain grow that fast.
  BTW orgasms where good for about ten thousand brain cells, right? How much brain cells do you think you loose when you bang a soccerball with your head? About the same.
  It all means nothing, but it is somewhat a little interesting I guess...
  
  --
  Here be signatures
7. Re:Bullshit by Kenja · 2010-08-02 04:48 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  He found it, he just didn't give a rats ass.
  
  --
  
  "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
8. Re:Bullshit by shadowrat · 2010-08-02 04:53 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  If that were the case /. would be full of retards and the NBA would be full of geniuses.
  How do you know it's not that way? Just because the NBA players don't have incentive to study doesn't mean they couldn't be genius level scholars. They could all have powerful brains that would put us all to shame. However brain growth != knowledge. New brain cells typically are useless unless you fill them with something. TFA didn't claim that the rats also studied productive material and began working for the good of science.
9. Re:Bullshit by tverbeek · 2010-08-02 04:53 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  "If that were the case /. would be full of retards...."
  Have you been reading the comments here?
  
  --
  http://alternatives.rzero.com/
10. Re:Bullshit by bsDaemon · 2010-08-02 04:54 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Yes, but let's look at business school types. Your typical MBA probably at least was on a crew team in high school or college. Lacrosse is a good substitute, too. Their undergrad major was probably in a subject where there were lots of girls, so they had more opportunity to get to know women and how to interact with them, thus more chances for breeding.
  They then went on to get an MBA, bought a new BMW 'cause the one their dad gave them for their 16th birthday was showing its age, and probably kept on playing squash or basketball at the Harvard Club with their alumni friends. So, now they're in shape and have shiny things to use as bait to attract a mate (the BMW).
  The professional athletes skip the MBA step and go straight to the fancy cars and lots of money.
  -----
  But, back to the text of the article itself, it indicates:
  1) that males who merely interacted with females on a more regular basis were less nervous in general than the ones who only got to see a female every 2 weeks.
  2) the ones who were sexually active were less risk-adverse, such as more willing to eat food in strange places.
  compare this to humans:
  1) your typical nerd male who spends all his time in a lab or on a computer and doesn't get out much, doesn't really know what is and is not ok to say to girls in the rare instances where its required to interact with one outside of the context of a checkout clerk at the convenience store.
  2) your typical nerd male is going to be harder to talk into doing risky behavior such as hang gliding or whatever, because he'll be too busy worrying about the elevated risk of death, subconsciously due to the fact that he more than likely hasn't reproduced yet, and therefor would lose evolution.
  So, the immediate lesson from the study basically boils down to if you have more experience around the opposite sex you're not going to freak out and be awkward, and if you've already passed on your genes then it really doesn't matter what happens to you, from an evolutionary standpoint. The MBA works just as well as the pro athlete.
  Besides, if I just wanted to be a dick about it, I could always just pull out Brian May, the guitarist for Queen, who recently finished a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College in London. That's a good counter-argument to the original poster's Bon Jovi jab.
11. Re:Bullshit by couchslug · 2010-08-02 05:22 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Like a spider monkey on meth, but if that works then I should have passed genius level around 1974.
  
  --
  "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
12. Re:Bullshit by ZorinLynx · 2010-08-02 05:32 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  That's funny. I couldn't give a rat's ass if my genes get passed on. However, I do enjoy having a partner for the companionship and love it brings. There's more than one reason to pair up with someone you love; passing on your genes is only one of them.
  I get a lot more out of a few hours snuggling in the dark talking with someone I care about than a quick session of mindless sex with someone I just met. Does this make me strange, or does it prove that "passing your genes on" isn't the only factor here? I'd say the latter.
  Although I AM pretty strange sometimes. But that has less to do with sex and more to do with normal being boring. ;)
13. Re:Bullshit by Asgerix · 2010-08-02 06:07 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Just remember, every time you masturbate, god kills a kitten.
  I just realized something: No pussy => masturbate => kitten dies => no pussy. It's an evil circle!
  
  --
  Life is wet, then you dry.
14. Re:Bullshit by shadowofwind · 2010-08-02 06:17 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  The major goal in any living being's life is to ensure the survival of his genes.
  Nothing personal, but no.
  It is true that natural selection requires you to compete successfully in order to continue to exist, and that includes reproduction. But, natural selection is not the only principle governing nature, it is merely a very important one. A lot of behavior is effectively orthogonal to survival: you can do something, or not it, and your survival chances are the same. Furthermore, life is not entirely a zero sum game. Certain things, like cultivation of intelligence increase your chances of survival to the point where you have freedom for a lot more besides that. You can say that its instinct for propagation of genes that compels us to learn. And there's truth in that. But satisfying the instinct is just one condition that has to be met. Its not everything.
  You're free to pick any 'major goal' in life that you find compelling. Of course, if your goal isn't conducive to the survival of your bloodline, then nature will kill you off. But that doesn't mean its impossible to make that choice.
  
  If more nerds got some, maybe we'd have the Higgs Boson on lock already.
  Historically, how common is it for scientists to get serious work done when they're in love or chasing hot women? The degree of concentration and dedication required for groundbreaking work would seem to me to usually preclude that. Sure, lots of famous scientists fooled around or had lots of kids. But I have a hard time believing very many of them were doing their best work in those periods, or that it occupied a very high part of their attention.
15. Re:Bullshit by Anonymous Coward · 2010-08-02 06:18 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  What makes them morons is the fact that their definition of "fun" is throwing a ball at a hoop.
  Throwing a ball at a hoop is easy. Out-smarting, -running, -playing other people is the fun part.
  Someone who considers it fun to hunt for the Higgs Boson certainly has a much more evolved brain, because so much more reasoning is needed for that.
  Different skills. A game of basketball requires making dozens of decisions every second, for 80 minutes. A course in physics requires maybe a dozen decisions an hour, for 80 hours. The Higgs Boson isn't hard to find because it requires a genius. It's hard to find because it requires more data than any one person can collect and interpret.
  You don't know about basketball, physics, or basic psychology. Why should anybody care what you think?
16. Re:Bullshit by mcgrew · 2010-08-02 06:34 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Masturbation is not in any way nearly as satisfying as sex with a human being. If it were, our species would have died out long ago.
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
17. Re:Bullshit by mcgrew · 2010-08-02 06:37 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  So, who is really smarter? The guy that lived with a basketball growing up, or the guy who lived with that physics text book?
  The guy with the textbook. He's at least going to get a job with a university and have a shot at making a big doscovery, while 99.99% of the sports wannabes are going to be asking of you want fries with that, or more likely, sitting in a prison cell.
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
18. Re:Bullshit by Nerdfest · 2010-08-02 06:43 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Actually, no. It used to be that I didn't read the articles. From there I progressed to not reading the summary ... not reading the comments was just the next logical step.
19. Re:Bullshit by camperslo · 2010-08-02 06:59 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  There may be other aspects of sex affecting the brain also.
  Some believe that hormones transmitting during some sex relieve depression.
20. Re:Bullshit by mcgrew · 2010-08-02 07:07 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  So having sex with rats will make you smarter?
  Why do you think the smart hookers don't charge the narcs?
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
21. Re:Bullshit by xero314 · 2010-08-02 08:41 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  According to Neal Stephenson in Cryptonomicon, masturbation is effective, but does not last as long, so you have to do it far more regularly. I would have to reread it to see if he says if it's as effective as the real thing though.
  
  Now from personal experience, something most slashdotters don't have, I would say the real thing is both more effective and has a longer duration.
Now I understand... by Toksyuryel · 2010-08-02 04:24 · Score: 5, Funny

...why most mainstream religions demonize sex. It all makes sense now.
1. Re:Now I understand... by Tom · 2010-08-02 05:21 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Aside from the funny part, that is closer to the truth than you like.
  Most of our current mainstream religions, i.e. the monotheistic, abrahamic ones, basically need you to feel horrible because their story says the world is bad and the afterlife can be good if (and only if) you follow their teachings.
  It's hard to feel like shit after a good night with a lover. Your desire for spiritual salvation is quite a bit low after a hot threesome. Your belief that this world is all bad and evil and only the afterlife counts is kind of weak in the middle of getting your brains fucked out.
  Look at the pope and try to take him seriously.
  Now fuck for an hour and then look at the pope and try to take him seriously.
  You'll notice a considerable difference.
  
  --
  Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
2. Re:Now I understand... by Wyatt+Earp · 2010-08-02 05:26 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Judaism doesn't want you to feel horrible or tell you that the world is bad.
  Christianity went sideways with that aspect, Islam can do that, but generally isn't about guilt.
3. Re:Now I understand... by infinite9 · 2010-08-02 06:55 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  As a christian, I can assure you that you have no idea what you're talking about.
  
  Aside from the funny part, that is closer to the truth than you like.
  Most of our current mainstream religions, i.e. the monotheistic, abrahamic ones, basically need you to feel horrible because their story says the world is bad and the afterlife can be good if (and only if) you follow their teachings.
  There are a lot of happy/unhappy people who are/aren't christian. Maybe it's not about that?
  Is the world bad? Just ask the millions of non-upper-middle-class-white-western-civilization people for whom life most assuredly sucks on a daily basis. You don't need Christianity to prove the world is bad.
  
  It's hard to feel like shit after a good night with a lover. Your desire for spiritual salvation is quite a bit low after a hot threesome.
  And when was the last time that happened to you? Oh right, never. There are studies that show that christian couples have more and better sex than non-christian couples, even, gasp, those that waited until they were married.
  Let's see how much fun that threesome is after you get multiple diseases.
  
  Look at the pope and try to take him seriously.
  I'm not catholic. I don't take the pope seriously. Please stop lumping us all together.
  
  --
  Disconnect your television. Do your own research. Draw your own conclusions. They're probably lying. Don't be a sheep.
4. Re:Now I understand... by BJ_Covert_Action · 2010-08-02 09:50 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  There are studies that show that christian couples have more and better sex than non-christian couples, even, gasp, those that waited until they were married.
  I'd like to see those studies that you're referring to, please.
  
  --
  Motorcycles, Robots, Space Gossip and More!
Comment removed by account_deleted · 2010-08-02 04:26 · Score: 4, Insightful

Comment removed based on user account deletion
Wow, organisms rewarded for proceating! by Orga · 2010-08-02 04:28 · Score: 2, Insightful

Holy %&^%! These findings suggest that while stress hormones can be detrimental to the brain, these effects can be overridden if whatever experiences triggered them were pleasant. Animals that haven't spread their genes are stressed and animals that have aren't as stressed. That's gods work for sure.
Re:Sign me up by flogger · 2010-08-02 04:29 · Score: 4, Funny

Do not worry. The control group will not be fucking.

--
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"First things first -- but not necessarily in that order"
-- The Doctor, "Doctor
Sex with hot female rats... by GPLDAN · 2010-08-02 04:31 · Score: 4, Funny

Studies showed that male rats with Italian sports cars and gold chains, were 40% more likely to score with the most desirable female rats. This effect, deemed the "Mook Effect", was present in all test cases.

Those rats that had contributed to the Linux kernel fared the worst.
Re:Hmm... by daremonai · 2010-08-02 04:32 · Score: 5, Funny

Yeah, we know. You were "busy."
Forwarding this important study by Tweezer · 2010-08-02 04:33 · Score: 4, Funny

To my wife immediately. She complains that her memory could be better.
1. Re:Forwarding this important study by macbeth66 · 2010-08-02 04:42 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I tried that already.
  Her memory is still good enough to remember that gorgeous blonde I checked out yesterday...
2. Re:Forwarding this important study by sharkey · 2010-08-02 05:29 · Score: 2
  
  Tweezer's wife follows you around to keep track of your doings?
  
  --
  
  --
  "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
3. Re:Forwarding this important study by TheLink · 2010-08-02 05:43 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Maybe she forgot who was her husband.
  --
  
  Too many replies beneath your current threshold
Re:Yea but by Zocalo · 2010-08-02 04:33 · Score: 4, Insightful

"Self service" obviously doesn't count. If it did then dogs, and not man, would be running the world...

--
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
Brains by weicco · 2010-08-02 04:42 · Score: 3, Funny

Poor small-brained me :(

--
You don't know what you don't know.
reminds of that classic seinfeld episode by circletimessquare · 2010-08-02 04:57 · Score: 5, Funny

elaine stops having sex with her boyfriend to motivate him to pass an exam (another commentary on sex and smarts) and george stops having sex because his girlfriend has mononucleosis. george gets progressively smarter (until he spontaneously learns portuguese and therefore seduces a portuguese woman, thus becoming a stupid again), and elaine gets progressively dumber. some humor from jerry's summary of what's going on in their heads:
to george:

George: What is Tungsten or Wolfram?
Alex Trebek: We were looking for 'What is Tungsten, or Wolfram'.
Jerry: Is this a repeat?
George: No, no, no. Just lately, I've been thinking a lot clearer. Like this afternoon, (To television) what is chicken Kiev, (Back to Jerry) I really enjoyed watching a documentary with Louise.
Jerry: Louise! That's what's doin' it. You're no longer pre-occupied with sex, so your mind is able to focus.
George: You think?
Jerry: Yeah. I mean, let's say this is your brain. (Holds lettuce head) Okay, from what I know about you, your brain consists of two parts: the intellect, represented here (Pulls off tiny piece of lettuce), and the part obsessed with sex. (Shows large piece) Now granted, you have extracted an astonishing amount from this little scrap. But with no-sex-Louise, this previously useless lump, is now functioning for the first time in its existence. (Eats tiny piece of lettuce)
George: Oh my God. I just remembered where I left my retainer in second grade. I'll see ya. (He throws finished Rubik's cube to Jerry and he exits. Kramer enters)
to elaine:

Elaine: How come he's gettin' so smart? I stopped having sex with Ben three days ago and I don't know no Portuguese?
Jerry: Are you all right?
Elaine: I don't know. It's just the last coupla days my mind has been, not good.
Jerry: Wait a second, I know what's happening. The no sex thing is having a reverse effect on you.
Elaine: What? What are you talking about?
Jerry: To a woman, sex is like the garbage man. You just take for granted the fact that any time you put some trash out on the street, a guy in a jumpsuit's gonna come along and pick it up. But now, it's like a garbage strike. The bags are piling up in your head. The sidewalk is blocked. Nothing's getting through. You're stupid.
Elaine: I don't understand.
Jerry: Exactly.
http://www.operaforthemasses.com/2010/06/seinfeld-review-7-abstinence.html

--
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
Suddenly I'm a lot more impressed with Marvin by Locke2005 · 2010-08-02 05:01 · Score: 4, Funny

"Here I am, brain the size of a planet, and they ask me to take you to the bridge. Call that job satisfaction, 'cause I don't."

--
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
Re:Clearly, these rats don't pay child support. by MaWeiTao · 2010-08-02 05:11 · Score: 2, Insightful

I think academic performance comes down to upbringing, not race. Although races might place different levels of importance on some things. The asian kid got straight As and never saw action because his parents demanded he excel in school and didn't allow him to socialize. Once you socialize too much grades inevitably suffer. Asians are no smarter than anyone else. Live in Asia for a while and you'll be cured of that misconception. It's like foreign kids who excel in college. They do well because they specifically came to the US to study and are appreciative of the opportunity.
Americans, on the other hand, don't appreciate what they have and are in school to study. And worse, in certain communities positive role models and discipline are seriously lacking. And there's too much of an anti-establishment attitude. The ability is there, it's just totally wasted. I'd say sexual activity is more of symptom than a cause.
New headline for spam by fabioalcor · 2010-08-02 05:23 · Score: 5, Funny

En-large your bra1n!
Re:Sex Boosts Brain Growth... in rats. by jd · 2010-08-02 05:35 · Score: 3, Funny

So we should prevent lawyers breeding at all costs?

--
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
Re:Yea but by cstacy · 2010-08-02 05:40 · Score: 4, Insightful

"Self service" obviously doesn't count. If it did then dogs, and not man, would be running the world...
You mean the dogs who we take into our warm houses, give them a nice place to sleep, feed them, wash them, walk around after them and pick up their poop for them, and tell them "Go lay down now! Good dog!" I for one welcome our pampered canine overlords...