5 habits that make you dumber
Health / / December 19, 2019
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1. There are many sweet
Today in many foods as a sweetener used containing fructose or corn syrup it. It is added to soda and other soft drinks, desserts, breads, condiments and even baby food. Although fructose advertised as a safe substitute for regular sugar, there are more data on its harmfulness.
Thus, the use of fructose in large amounts causesF stands for fructose and fat metabolic disorders. And they have a negative impact'Metabolic syndrome' in the brain: deficiency in omega-3 fatty acid exacerbates dysfunctions in insulin receptor signalling and cognition on memory and learning. scientists checkedSystems Nutrigenomics Reveals Brain Gene Networks Linking Metabolic and Brain Disorders it is only in rats, but they believe that the effect applies to people. First, the researchers taught the animals to get out of a complex maze, and then divided them into three groups. One in six weeks was given water with a lot of fructose, other - ordinary water. The third group received except fructose as one of the omega-3-acids - DHA.
Six weeks later, the rats again allowed into the maze. Diet with fructose reflected in the memory of animals, and they are longer than the others got out of the maze. Rats, it turns plain water, He spent his fastest. The second place was occupied by rodents treated with DHA. Scientists suggest that this useful acid eliminates the harmful effects of fructose on memory.
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But this is not the only negative effect of fructose. It also reduces theDietary fructose aggravates the pathobiology of traumatic brain injury by influencing energy homeostasis and plasticity brain plasticity. The researchers came to this conclusion by examining the rats recovering from traumatic brain injury. A given plain water, the other - the water with a large amount of fructose. Rats with diet vysokofruktoznoy took 30% more time to find a way out of the maze.
"These results suggest that fructose breaks plastic - the creation of new connections between neurons that occurs when we learn or experience something new " - said professor of neurosurgery Fernando Gomez-Pinilla (Fernando Gomez-Pinilla), lead author research. So think about how much sweets in your diet.
2. In all rely on technology
Most of us enters the important dates in the calendar and sets a reminder on your phone, so do not forget to do something. We believe in the calculator and use with GPS-navigators, and are looking for information in search engines, and not in your head. And in the end a little training the hippocampus - a brain region that is involved in memory consolidation.
Scientists suggest that because of this, our ability deteriorates memorize. They came to this conclusion after studyingTalent in the taxi: a model system for exploring expertise London taxi drivers actions. Those of them who remembered and build routes without navigation, hippocampus increased in size. And the memory of them was better compared to people of the same age and level of intelligence who do not drive a taxi. After leaving work volume of their hippocampus gradually decreased because they ceased to make active use of it.
"The hippocampus playsHippocampal and prefrontal processing of network topology to simulate the future a variety of ways, and the prefrontal cortex helps you plan which of them will lead us to the goal " - says professor of cognitive neuroscience Spears Hugo (Hugo Spiers), one of the authors research. When the path point technology, we operate on autopilot.
The more often we do it, the less we rely on the hippocampus. And it gradually decreases in volume.
This leads not only to the fact that we are worse than in the focus area. Reduction of gray matter in the hippocampus is associatedHippocampal and Amygdala Gray Matter Loss in Elderly Controls with Subtle Cognitive Decline also with impaired memory and an increased risk of dementiaSo often try to use this area of ββthe brain. Use GPS, if you get lost, and in other cases, try to find their way on their own. And in general, less rely on the technology to train your brain.
3. not enough sleep
Physiological psychologist Timothy Roers (Timothy Roehrs) testedEthanol and Sleep Loss: A "Dose" Comparison of Impairing EffectsHow much decision-making ability is suffering from lack of sleep. He attracted the participation of students who have to carry out tasks on the computer for a fee. Some were drowsy, others cheerful. At random intervals participants offered two options: take the money earned or to continue to work, but to lose a fee if you do not perform all the tasks for the next segment time.
People's sleep adequately assess their chances and did not go to unreasonable risk.
Sleepy participants, on the contrary, either too early to cast the problem or risk, when it was clear that they not have time. According to Roersa, the conclusion is obvious: the more you do not get enough sleep, the less notice that poorly performing tasks. And the worse you make decisions.
Psychologists from the University of Texas at Austin Todd Maddox (Todd Maddox) and David Schneier (David Schnyer) conducted another experimentThe Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Information-Integration Categorization Performance. They tested how lack of sleep affects the processing of information. To do this, they gave participants a task that triggers the striatum and frontal cortex. The first region of the brain associated with the unconscious learning and categorizing information, and the second - to the processing of data and decision-making.
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Participants saw the image on the screen and had to refer them to one of two groups according to obscure instructions. For example, "Which line is longer than its orientation." "To solve such problems, you need to browse hundreds of images and gain experience - Maddox explains. - You can not think too much, and the choice of words to express. You need to disable the frontal cortex. "
First, all participants have completed the task after a full sleep. Then they were divided into two groups, one was forced to stay awake all night, and the other allowed to sleep. In the morning, all the subjects were tested again. Scientists have noticed that lack of sleep greatly affects the frontal cortex. Those who are able to give free rein to striatum, not bad coped with the task.
Many of the same tired participants tried to involve the frontal cortex, and she was not able to help them after the lack of sleep.
"Tired brain has to make greater efforts, operational and long-term memory is getting worse - continues Maddox. - Attention and ability to plan, too, suffer, and it is easier to rely on habit rather than coming up with new strategies. " In short, no eruption, we become stupider.
4. Lead a sedentary lifestyle
scientists analyzedLong-term patterns of low physical activity and cognitive function in mid-life: the CARDIA Study data from a large study of the development of cardiovascular disease, which started in mid-1980. In it took part in people aged 18 to 30 years. Every 2-5 years, scientists checked their health and lifestyle, including the level of physical activity and the amount of time spent watching television. At the end of the study participants underwent tests of information processing speed, executive function and verbal memory.
Subjects who were sedentary (rarely ran, swam, biked, worked in the garden), worse we passed the test, compared with those who have moderate or high level of physical activity.
And those who watched television more than three hours a day, showed even lower results.
In addition, a sedentary lifestyle has a negative impact on memory. researchers foundSedentary behavior associated with reduced medial temporal lobe thickness in middle-aged and older adultsThat people who move a little, reduced medial temporal lobe - a brain region associated with the formation and storage of memories. Changes in this area - one of the early signs of Alzheimer's disease. Think about this the next time you want to skip the workout.
5. Multitask
Already provedThat we do not do several things simultaneously, and switch from one to another. And we carry them less effective than when working on each separately. But multitasking not only improves productivity, but also may harm the brain.
The researchers examined the prevalence of the habit of using two screens simultaneously. For example, to watch TV while working on your computer, or to correspond with the phone.
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They have asked participants how often they do so, and then they did the MRI. It turnedHigher Media Multi-Tasking Activity Is Associated with Smaller Gray-Matter Density in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, The brain of those who prefers to use two screens at the same time, has a much lower density of gray matter in an area called "anterior cingulate cortex." This part is related to the control of emotions and decision-making. "The way we interact with electronic devices, affect the way we think, and these changes are taking place at the level of brain structure," - say the study authors.
Besides, if we constantly switch from one case to another, suffer attention and memory. The researchers analyzed 20 scientific papers and concludedMinds and brains of media multitaskers: Current findings and future directionsThat people who frequently work in multitasking mode, worse than cope with the need to keep the concentration and something to remember. To protect themselves from such problems, in the same business, and only after it is completed, go to the next.
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