As more of us use electronic devices to store our phone numbers and use GPS devices to navigate through streets, are our brains losing their ability to store information?
Although the human brain has a breakdown when it comes to remembering numbers longer than 10 digits, could the use of cell phones be having a detrimental effect? Years ago there was no problem remembering phone numbers, you had no choice. You may have had a phone book, but you could remember six or so phone numbers without any problems.
Picture from The Alchemist Lab
Today it appears that that GPS navigation devices maybe actually changing the way in which our brain's form cognitive maps. As any London black cab driver will tell you ad nauseam "we're the best cabbies in the world". This is because of their extra large rear hippocampuses, caused by three years of riding around every London street before they can take "The Knowledge". But for us mere mortals our brains usually do a pretty good job of picturing areas and routes in our minds eye.
Alex Hutchinson in The Walrus writes that…neuroscientists are starting to uncover a two-way street: our brains determine how we navigate, but our navigational efforts also shape our brains."
Experts are starting to see signs that changes in our brains will occur as we grow accustomed to using GPS devices, and not our minds to see the route ahead. But adaptation is what humans have been doing for millennia; this is just one more thing to adapt to.
Source
Picture from The Alchemist LabToday it appears that that GPS navigation devices maybe actually changing the way in which our brain's form cognitive maps. As any London black cab driver will tell you ad nauseam "we're the best cabbies in the world". This is because of their extra large rear hippocampuses, caused by three years of riding around every London street before they can take "The Knowledge". But for us mere mortals our brains usually do a pretty good job of picturing areas and routes in our minds eye.
Alex Hutchinson in The Walrus writes that…neuroscientists are starting to uncover a two-way street: our brains determine how we navigate, but our navigational efforts also shape our brains."
Experts are starting to see signs that changes in our brains will occur as we grow accustomed to using GPS devices, and not our minds to see the route ahead. But adaptation is what humans have been doing for millennia; this is just one more thing to adapt to.
Source
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