Friday, August 27, 2010

Your Brain on Computers - Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime - NYTimes.com

Your Brain on Computers - Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime - NYTimes.com:
"But scientists point to an unanticipated side effect: when people keep their brains busy with digital input, they are forfeiting downtime that could allow them to better learn and remember information, or come up with new ideas.

Ms. Bates, for example, might be clearer-headed if she went for a run outside, away from her devices, research suggests.

At the University of California, San Francisco, scientists have found that when rats have a new experience, like exploring an unfamiliar area, their brains show new patterns of activity. But only when the rats take a break from their exploration do they process those patterns in a way that seems to create a persistent memory of the experience."

HT to @nateolay

No comments: