Play video games, tennis to enhance memory!Healthy Living

September 12, 2016 10:54
Play video games, tennis to enhance memory!

A recent study found that, activities like playing video games or tennis may help enhance your memory.

The study mentioned that, memory-enhancing chemicals release in brain after attention-grabbing experiences, which help to store memories that occur just before or soon after the experience.

Robert Greene, Professor at the Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center's Texas Institute for Brain Injury and Repair, at Dallas in Texas, said that, "Activation of the locus coeruleus (part of the brain stem) increases our memory of events that happen at the time of activation and may also increase the recall of those memories at a later time."

The study which published in the journal Nature explains at the molecular level why people tend to remember certain events in their lives with particular clarity as well as unrelated details surrounding those events.

According to the study, the dopamine in the brain can be naturally activated through behavioral actions and that these actions enhance memory retention.

During the study, the researchers tested 120 mice to establish a link between locus coeruleus (LC) neurons and neuronal circuits of the hippocampus the region of the brain responsible for recording memories that receive dopamine from the LC.

The researchers found that selectively activating the channelrhodopsin-labeled neurons with blue light (a technique called optogenetics) could substitute for the novelty experience as a memory enhancer in mice.

The study also found that this activation could cause a direct, long-lasting synaptic strengthening an enhancement of memory-relevant communication occurring at the junctions between neurons in the hippocampus. This process can mediate improvement of learning and memory.

"Some next steps include investigating how big an impact this finding can have on human learning, whether it can eventually lead to an understanding of how patients can develop failing memories, and how to better target effective therapies for these patients," Greene added.

Also Read: Having no friends could be as deadly as smoking!

Nandini

If you enjoyed this Post, Sign up for Newsletter

(And get daily dose of political, entertainment news straight to your inbox)

Rate This Article
(0 votes)
Tagged Under :
Playing video games  tennis  enhance memory