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The Little Known Brain Cells that Help You Stay Awake and Keep Your Brain Active

The Little Known Brain Cells that Help You Stay Awake and Keep Your Brain Active

Quick Hits
Daily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences

 

Andy Habermacher

Andy Habermacher

Andy is author of leading brains Review, Neuroleadership, and multiple other books. He has been intensively involved in writing and research into neuroleadership and is considered one of Europe’s leading experts. He is also a well-known public speaker, speaking on the brain and human behaviour.

Andy is also a masters athlete (middle distance running) and competes regularly at international competitions (and holds a few national records in his age category).

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Reference

Ashley M. Ingiosi, Christopher R. Hayworth, Marcos G. Frank.
Activation of Basal Forebrain Astrocytes Induces Wakefulness without Compensatory Changes in Sleep Drive.
The Journal of Neuroscience, 2023; 43 (32): 5792
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0163-23.2023

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New Drivers of Selfishness and Collaboration Discovered

New Drivers of Selfishness and Collaboration Discovered

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Brain Cells of Males and Females Respond Differently to Stress

Brain Cells of Males and Females Respond Differently to Stress

Quick Hits
Daily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences

 

Andy Habermacher

Andy Habermacher

Andy is author of leading brains Review, Neuroleadership, and multiple other books. He has been intensively involved in writing and research into neuroleadership and is considered one of Europe’s leading experts. He is also a well-known public speaker, speaking on the brain and human behaviour.

Andy is also a masters athlete (middle distance running) and competes regularly at international competitions (and holds a few national records in his age category).

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Reference

Elena Brivio, Aron Kos, Alessandro Francesco Ulivi, Stoyo Karamihalev, Andrea Ressle, Rainer Stoffel, Dana Hirsch, Gil Stelzer, Mathias V. Schmidt, Juan Pablo Lopez, Alon Chen.
Sex shapes cell-type-specific transcriptional signatures of stress exposure in the mouse hypothalamus.
Cell Reports, 2023; 42 (8): 112874
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112874

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Work in the Presence of Others Lowers Stress

Work in the Presence of Others Lowers Stress

Quick Hits
Daily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences

 

Andy Habermacher

Andy Habermacher

Andy is author of leading brains Review, Neuroleadership, and multiple other books. He has been intensively involved in writing and research into neuroleadership and is considered one of Europe’s leading experts. He is also a well-known public speaker, speaking on the brain and human behaviour.

Andy is also a masters athlete (middle distance running) and competes regularly at international competitions (and holds a few national records in his age category).

twitter / LinkedIn

Reference

Junya Orui; Keigo Shiraiwa; Fumie Tazaki; Takao Inoue; Masaya Ueda; Keita Ueno; Yasuo Naito; Ryouhei Ishii.
Social Buffering Effects during Craft Activities in Parallel Group Session Revealed by EEG Analysis and Parasympathetic Activity.
Neuropsychobiology, 2023
DOI: 10.1159/000531005/854272

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Everyday Pleasures Improve Brain Performance

Everyday Pleasures Improve Brain Performance

Quick Hits
Daily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences

 

brain workplace cognitive performance

That sounds a good thing but what is an everyday pleasure?

In this study the researchers investigated the relationship between simple pleasures and brain activity. Specifically drinking coffee, listening to music, and smelling perfume.

Coffee and music for me – not so sure about the perfume though

Participants could choose what they wanted according to their preferences – that’s important – it needs to be a personalised pleasure…of course. I’m with you on coffee and music also – but then again remember my article on the positive impacts of aroma exposure during sleep a few days ago?

How did they measure this?

Well, this is actually very innovative but we also need to be careful of marketing hype here as this was sponsored by MINDWATCH. They have developed algorithms over the years that can measure brain states based on skin conductance. That is your skin responds very quickly to your current state and this can me measured using a sensor. This is much less invasive than measuring brain wave activity. In this experiment they used skin conductance bands and a device to measure some brain activity also.

And so what was the outcome?

Participants conducted memory tests shortly after being exposed to these stimulants and their performance increase and this could be measured in the brain – an increase in beta band brain waves (associated with concentration and cognitive performance) – and skin conductance results. Music seems to be the most potent followed by coffee and then the perfume.

Don’t we know this already?

Actually yes. We know music can positively stimulate brain activity and is also considered a performance enhancing tool by World Athletics (and as such is not allowed directly before competition!). Similarly, there is a lot of research on coffee and its positive benefits. But participants in this could choose their preferred option.

Also of interest is that there were three types of music to choose from and unsurprisingly the energetic was more effective than the relaxing one – but, and here is the surprise, they included an AI generated piece of music and this was the most effective!

And what now?

Well, this shows that those small pleasures can positively impact brain performance – this is why they are a small pleasure – a little bit of what you fancy does you good as they say – and this is not all in the mind. Your brain and cognitive performance will thank you.

And what about all three simultaneously?

That’s what I’m doing as I write this – feels good enough to me!

Andy Habermacher

Andy Habermacher

Andy is author of leading brains Review, Neuroleadership, and multiple other books. He has been intensively involved in writing and research into neuroleadership and is considered one of Europe’s leading experts. He is also a well-known public speaker, speaking on the brain and human behaviour.

Andy is also a masters athlete (middle distance running) and competes regularly at international competitions (and holds a few national records in his age category).

twitter / LinkedIn

References

Hamid Fekri Azgomi, Luciano R. F. Branco, Md. Rafiul Amin, Saman Khazaei, Rose T. Faghih.
Regulation of brain cognitive states through auditory, gustatory, and olfactory stimulation with wearable monitoring.
Scientific Reports, 2023; 13 (1)
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37829-z

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Smells Shown to Dramatically Boost Brain Power

Smells Shown to Dramatically Boost Brain Power

Quick Hits
Daily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences

aroma smell brain cognitive performance aging

Who would have thought it – well, who apart from aromatherapists that is.

I have reported multiple times on the benefits of exercise on cognitive performance but also on diet, sleep, and cognitive activity. Many of these are well know and tie in to general health advice. However there is little research and thought given to smells, aromas.

Smell may also be an underrated sense – offices, for example, and homes, often give careful consideration to lighting but little thought to smell – though some smart marketeers and retail establishments have given some considerable thought to this e.g. the appealing smell of a new car, the smell of fresh bread in a supermarket all support the brand experience and encourage customers to buy more.

We could and would also assume that smell would have some, mostly emotional effect on us in certain circumstances – if a room is particularly bad smelling it would have a negative impact on work performance. However this piece of research showed that mere exposure, while asleep nonetheless, had dramatic impacts on cognitive performance (a 226% increase no less!) and also helping “grow” the brain in those with olfactory impairment.

These results are more than impressive – so impressive that I immediately became sceptical and read the academic paper to check on the validity – all above board I can report.

The study involved participants (this was partly disrupted by the pandemic) – 46 in total split into an intervention group and a control group. The active study group used an aroma diffuser over a six-month period and cycled through 7 different aromas. This diffuser was only active for two hours each night.

When the participants were re-measured on cognitive ability at the end of the study period there was a 226% increase in cognitive ability (the average of multiple assessments).

This is impressive. However, we do know we have a direct connection between our sense of smell and memory and we also know that there have been over 70 mental disorders that are related to loss of smell – not just COVID. We also know that aroma enhancement – consciously focusing on and being exposed to different aromas – improves well being.

Further research has also shown multiple benefits in the brain with aroma enhancement linked to growth in various areas of the brain including the hippocampus which is closely related to memory.

This all points to aroma and our sense of smell being an important and vastly underestimated sense but also an effective intervention strategy – and in this case one that is particularly easy to implement: aroma diffuser in the bedroom is as easy as it gets.

I have to say that this research opened my eyes, well my nostrils, and it’s high time to plug in the aroma diffuser sitting dustily in the corner of my living room.

Andy Habermacher

Andy Habermacher

Andy is author of leading brains Review, Neuroleadership, and multiple other books. He has been intensively involved in writing and research into neuroleadership and is considered one of Europe’s leading experts. He is also a well-known public speaker, speaking on the brain and human behaviour.

Andy is also a masters athlete (middle distance running) and competes regularly at international competitions (and holds a few national records in his age category).

twitter / LinkedIn

References

Cynthia C. Woo, Blake Miranda, Mithra Sathishkumar, Farideh Dehkordi-Vakil, Michael A. Yassa, Michael Leon.
Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults.
Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2023; 17
DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1200448

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