Image Source: UCLA
I have just read an interesting post on El Reg by Austin Modine. The article explains that researchers at the University of California Los Angeles have revealed research stating that searching the Internet may stimulate and help improve brain function more than reading a book. According to the boffins: searching the web triggers centers in the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning in middle-aged and older adults. But while web browsing may spark more neurons than mere book-reading, the study says, this only occurs in those with previous Internet experience.
As the brain ages, it’s prone to atrophy and reduced cell activity. Doing a bit of “hard thinking” is thought to help keep the mind in shape. Brain-improving mental exercises typically take the form of doing crossword puzzles, learning to play the piano, or taking up a new hobby where new skills are required. Being a deft hand at searching the Internet also appears to put the mind through its paces.
The image above shows a brain stimulated by a book on the left and on the right a brain stimulated by internet usage. Does this mean that from a PR perspective, we are stimulating our brains more by searching for news online rather than in the hardcopy?
