The Sunday Times, the BBC, Yahoo, and Reuters UK (to name but a few), have all reported recently on new research coming out of UCLA, California from the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour. In a study thought to be the first of its kind to test brain activity during web browsing, 24 volunteers (split by those with web experience and those with no experience at all) were monitored for brain activity by way of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans.
All 24 volunteers (the sample was aged between 55 and 76) were asked to carry out Internet search and book reading tasks to discover the location of brain activity. The scans then measured the voxel units for each task - the intensity of the brain's cell responses indicated by cerebral blood flow.
Measuring brain activity during the book reading task showed no significant differences between the groups. However, the simulated Internet search task showed very different results. The group with web experience sparked a significantly higher level of voxels - 21, 782 voxels compared to 8,646 voxels registered for the non-web users. Brain activity was concentrated in the frontal, cerebral and cingulate areas of the brain - responsible for complex reasoning and decision-making.
The findings have led Dr. Gary Small, neuroscientist and principal researcher to draw several conclusions.
Firstly, that the Internet and text messaging is responsible for changing the way our brains behave and has improved our ability to make quick decisions and filter large amounts of information. From an evolutionary viewpoint, Dr Small argues that those individuals who are tech-savvy and as he calls them “digital natives” will be more likely to become the social elite in the next generation - as long as they are also adept at social skills Speaking to Reuters, he said:
“We're seeing an evolutionary change. The people in the next generation who are really going to have the edge are the ones who master the technological skills and also face-to-face skills. They will know when the best response to an email or Instant Message is to talk rather than sit and continue to email.”
However, he also maintains that living in a technology driven and progressive world is loading stress on individuals and may eventually inhibit our ability to interpret human behaviour. His research suggests that the brain is very sensitive to technological influences. Dr. Small goes on to add: “There is also the big problem of neglecting human contact skills and losing the ability to read emotional expressions and body language.”
Dr. Small's second major conclusion from the findings is that we can use the Internet to stimulate our brain and potentially reduce the onset of atrophy and reduced cell activity which commonly occurs as we get older. Dr. Small is quoted on the UCLA website as saying:
“The study results are encouraging, that emerging computerized technologies may have physiological effects and potential benefits for middle-aged and older adults. Internet searching engages complicated brain activity, which may help exercise and improve brain function.”
The research suggests that older brains can be taught to increase cell activity by encouraging the use of the Internet. Where older generations have been advised to do the cross-word to keep their brains active, it is now feasible that the ‘silver surfers' are promoting brain health via a different means.
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