Surfing the Internet may prove to be a novel (fun) way to preserve (and jump start) mental skills as an individual ages.
For example, researchers have found that seniors who started browsing the Web after learning the skill late in life, experienced improved brain function after only a few days of racking up virtual time on the PC.
"You can teach an old brain new technology tricks," Dr. Gary Small explained excitedly to the media in a recent press release.
Small is a psychiatry professor at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California here in Los Angeles.
The good psyche doctor is also the author of a fascinating book (non-fiction) titled: iBrain.
During the course of the study, Dr. Small was amazed to learn that just after a week or so - people who had little Internet experience - began to register waves of increased activity particularly in the areas of the brain that make decisions (known as the thinking cavity of the brain).
"This which makes sense because when you're searching online, you're making a lot of decisions," he said.
"Cruising the net is interactive, " he accented.
Small, a co-author of the research on the phenomenon, presented his theory to the members of the "Society for Neuroscience" at their annual meeting and the results of the research study were greeted with a lot of enthusiasm.
A contemporary in Small's line of work was inclined to put in his two-cents worth, too.
"This makes intuitive sense, that getting on the Internet and exploring and getting new information and learning would help," added Paul Sanberg.
Sanberg, an expert in the field, is also the director of the "University of South Florida Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair" in Tampa (Florida).
"It supports the value of exploring the Internet for the elderly."
Most experts now acknowledge the importance a "use-it-or-lose-it" approach to mental functioning has been validated.
"We found a number of years ago that people who engaged in cognitive activities had better functioning and perspective than those who did not," said Dr. Richard Lipton, a professor of neurology and epidemiology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.
Lipton wears two hats actually, because he is also the director of the Einstein Aging Study.
A couple of friends swear by crossword puzzles.
Long-time friend - George Maharis (getting up in years now) - asserted over breakfast at the French Market one fine morning, that the pastime kept his mind sharp..For this reason, the word-teaser, is often cited as an example of a game that reaps great benefit in the twilight years.
"Our study is often referenced as the crossword-puzzle study - that doing puzzles, writing for pleasure, playing chess and engaging in a broader array of cognitive activities - seem to protect against age-related decline in cognitive function and also dementia."
Doesn't that "use-it-or-lose-it" philosophy hit closer to home in respect to a dude's "Johnson"?
Just asking!
The researchers initially asked 24 neurologically normal patients (age 55 and up) to surf the Internet while hooked up to an MRI machine.
Before the study began, half the participants had used the Internet daily, and the other half had little experience with it.
After an initial MRI scan, the participants were instructed to do Internet searches for an hour on each of seven days in the next two weeks.
They then returned to the clinic for more brain scans.
"At baseline, those with prior Internet experience showed a much greater extent of brain activation," the distinguished researcher noted for the record.
After at-home practice, however, those who had just been introduced to the Internet were catching up to those who were proficient at the keyboard and PC skill, the study determined.
"This is a demonstration that, over a relatively short period of time, patterns of brain activation while engaging in cognitive activities change," Lipton said. "That is at least a first step toward gaining insight into the mechanisms that might allow cognitive engagement to influence brain function."
But, Small said, beware how you use the Internet.
"You can exercise your mind by using the Internet, but it depends on how it's used," he explained.
"If you get hooked on gambling or eBay shopping, that may not be positive."
How 'bout porn?
It may be a great pecker-upper, but only Dr. Small and his tireless toiling probers know for sure!
No comments:
Post a Comment