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Brain Function "Boosted For Days After Reading a Novel"
cold fjord writes "The Independent reports, 'Being pulled into the world of a gripping novel can trigger actual, measurable changes in the brain that linger for at least five days after reading ... The new research, carried out at Emory University ... found that reading a good book may cause heightened connectivity in the brain and neurological changes that persist in a similar way to muscle memory. The changes were registered in the left temporal cortex, an area of the brain associated with receptivity for language, as well as the primary sensory motor region of the brain. Neurons of this region have been associated with tricking the mind into thinking it is doing something it is not, a phenomenon known as grounded cognition — for example, just thinking about running, can activate the neurons associated with the physical act of running. "The neural changes that we found associated with physical sensation and movement systems suggest that reading a novel can transport you into the body of the protagonist," said neuroscientist Professor Gregory Berns, lead author of the study. "We already knew that good stories can put you in someone else's shoes in a figurative sense. Now we're seeing that something may also be happening biologically."'"
I have to believe that programming and puzzle solving have similar effects. Also, I have to believe that being elected to any government position has the opposite effect.
I wonder if a similar thing happens when playing video games?
Well, my brain is boosted for days after writing a neat piece of code.
Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
The big question - is this cumulative? I want to improve my IQ, so I'll read 3-4 books this week ... but wait a minute, this sounds like school.
... today ... and they're linked by correlation (but not causation). Also? Topical XKCD comic.
Also, this study was done on students. At university (or college, for our american viewers). And didn't eliminate free time or stress relief as possible factors. Also, it was done in the USA, which doesn't have the most homogenous distribution of literacy (or even a consistent measure for literacy).
I'm not saying it's bad science, I'm just saying there's another article about junk science on slashdot
- Nec Impar Pluribus, or so I'm told.
So . . .
just thinking about sex, can activate the neurons associated with the physical act of sex
Now, y'all excuse me, I'm off to "boost my brain" . . .
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
I'm ridiculously creative after finishing a book or watching a movie. Priming strikes again.
So many books - so many lame, lame books.
"Stop whining!" - Arnold, as Mr. Kimble
They need a followup study. Just 21 people? How about listening to an audiobook? Does it have the same effect? When I'm bored at work and don't have to worry about distractions to my programming, I listen to audiobooks instead of music.
Or should it simply be one the reader finds interesting and can become involved ? Granted, there's a massive scale difference between "50 Shades of Grey" and "Crime and Punishment" but the former is a lot easier to read while the later will make you tear your hair out to stay awake. Taste changes the more one reads so one could grow into better literature, but it would seem to be more important to pick something interesting rather than overtly challenging. Of course, I could have read the article but that seemed to much.
I find that reading a good book is like a complete exercise workout for your brain, and I know I feel a lot sharper when I'm reading regularly.
If I'm having trouble working through some problem or other then taking some time to read is always helpful, even if the subject of the book is unrelated to the problem at hand.
It seems as though it needs to be something with a lot of prose but either fiction or non-fiction works.
Moderately technical non-fiction is OK as long as it is interesting and mentally stimulating (makes you stop and think etc.).
But pure technical books don't seem to help at all and may just clutter things up with new knowledge that the brain is trying to assimilate. So for example pretty much anything from O'Reilly will not make me feel generally smarter even though it may be very good at cramming in the domain specific knowledge I need for some project.
So just reading tech books is not very helpful at all, and needs to be supplemented with more general works from my experience.
G.
Wrong story faggot
What does "boosted" actually mean? Fuck all. It's impressive that the task is sensitive enough to show up changes in the brain after reading a book, but scientifically it's not surprising: if you read a book and remembered something about it then there will be physical changes in your brain. There have to be. We've known that for decades. e.g. In 1997 it was shown that environmental enrichment causes production of new neurons in the hippocampus (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v386/n6624/abs/386493a0.html).
soylentnews.org
for example, just thinking about running, can activate the neurons associated with the physical act of running.
Hah turns out I am atheletic after all.
Band practice on a weeknight typically means my head hits the pillow at 1:30 AM but the creative rush totally compensates for the sleep deprivation.
Hold on, wait a sec, be right back
Gently reply
What happens after you read Slashdot?
Do you think it also applies to reading slashdot threads ? I always feel very smart and often very sad after reading the comments section.
Disappointingly, seemed to produce little brain wave benefit, possibly due to interference patterns. However, subjects were far more likely to contribute to NPR during the observed period.
100 died just reading your comment and making this post.
So my reading list would be:
The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Prince
Soon I will be Invincible
The Call of Cthulhu
Richard III
Have gnu, will travel.
Any kind of sustained, concentrated thinking does this. The brain is very reactive and adapts quickly , instantly to stresses put on it in terms of not only coordination , balance and physical skill but also higher cognitive functions, abstract reasoning, emotional reasoning, meditation, self control, anything you can name. I have noticed generally the more vascular and active the tissue, the faster it adapts. Brains change like that. Muscles recover after 5 or so days. Tendons take weeks to heal. Bones take a even longer to heal (change).
I find after I read a good book that I keep thinking about it for days. Usually on things I think the chars should of did, or how to deal with situation they did.
I rarely get that way after movies or video games, but sometimes I do. (Half-Life 2 I did, really enjoyed that game).
So basically if there is a good story, my mind will keep thinking on it for a few days.
Be seeing you...
Do programming and puzzle solving cause you to feel like your about to have an orgasm? Do programming and puzzle solving cause you to dream about people you've never met before with accurate visual and auditory details?
"My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer and I have my mind...and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone if it is to keep its edge."
-Tyrion Lannister
I wonder if the effect is the same when other media is used. Will audiobooks do the trick? How about television or movies? If the only criteria is a good story that can transport you into the body of the protagonist then I suspect they would work the same. Given that they were engaging enough, that is.
Any kind of sustained, concentrated thinking does this. The brain is very reactive and adapts quickly , instantly to stresses put on it in terms of not only coordination , balance and physical skill but also higher cognitive functions, abstract reasoning, emotional reasoning, meditation, self control, anything you can name. I have noticed generally the more vascular and active the tissue, the faster it adapts. Brains change like that.
How on earth do you know this? It sounds like a hypothesis you're making up.
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
after reading Slashdot comments. I feel dumber for days.
Is there a deep seated conflict of interest though? Do good comments affect job security? It would seem that to get a promotion, you need others to follow up on the work you have completed. But this all goes away when you are let go or outsourced. There ... I said it!
Time for a new Political party in the US (or two!) One is off the rails Other cant pony up a leader.
How about watching an episode of Mentalist, or NCIS or some other show with comparable content? How about watching an episode of Simpsons or Family guy? How about Aqua Teen Hunger Force?
Time for a new Political party in the US (or two!) One is off the rails Other cant pony up a leader.
Watching TV has the opposite effect.
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
‘A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.’
The vascular part I am guessing / noting / observing.. it's a ,thing I noted a long time ago is all.
The rest of it is information readily available . The general topic goes by the name of neural plasticity which is broken down into functional and structural .
It's not the thing I research specifically so I am not loaded down with bookmarks for you but I know all about it from undergrad
For people with no neuroscience background there's books like The Brain That Changes Itself and of course it's a big area of research- pulled from the web without much effort:
http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/Neurosciences/articles/Response%20of%20the%20Brain%20to%20Enrichment/
http://www.jneurosci.org/content/29/10/3019.full.pdf
http://psyserv06.psy.sbg.ac.at:5916/fetch/PDF/21906988.pdf
http://www.medicaldaily.com/talk-therapy-reverses-biological-structural-brain-changes-ptsd-patients-264229
Some notes on one methodology:
http://dbm.neuro.uni-jena.de/pdf-files/May-TICS11.pdf
Aside from that, what exactly do you think phenomena like PTSD are? Purely disembodied psychological issues? If you've were or have ever repeatedly sustained hard study, you'd notice that your whole "self" changes in response to your efforts. You're smarter, your experience of everyday life is richer etc etc. This goes on as long as you're willing to inflict a good measure of discomfort on yourself.
By the same token, leaving your studies for a time then coming back is an extraordinarily punishing affair. Along with feelings of inadequacy and bewilderment when faced with the same material you left even a few short weeks ago, there's a sense of awe at your own former self's output and level of functioning.
Like the song says:
When you're up / looks like a long ways down
When you're down / looks like a long ways up
Cheers
thx
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
... But then I don't have a brain. :P
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
The claim is that brain function is boosted. They did not test that. You cannot test brain function with an fMRI.
Shorter summary: "doing things changes your brain". Obviously it does, or we'd all be living like that guy from Memento. #notnews