| Researchers at Oxford University have found that | | | | of skill the subjects had. Lead researcher Dr Heidi |
| complicated tasks, like if you learn juggling, it | | | | Johansen-Berg said, "MRI is an indirect way to |
| produces significant changes to the structure of the | | | | measure brain structure and so we cannot be sure |
| brain. | | | | exactly what is changing when these people learn. |
| The work, appearing in the journal Nature | | | | Future work should test whether these results |
| Neuroscience, finds a 5% increase in white matter, | | | | reflect changes in the shape or number of nerve |
| the so-called cabling of the brain. Earlier work has | | | | fibres, or growth of the insulating myelin sheath |
| shown changes due to experience in our grey | | | | surrounding the fibres." |
| matter, where processing and computation happens; | | | | The clinical applications of this research are, |
| enhancements in the white matter of the healthy | | | | admittedly, quite a long way off. But they may hold |
| adult brain haven't been demonstrated, until now. | | | | promise for neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis, |
| The subjects in this study were taught a complex | | | | where these white matter areas become degraded. |
| visual/motor task, juggling three balls, and had brain | | | | Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, disabling |
| scans at both the beginning and end of the study | | | | neurodegenerative disease that appears in early |
| period. | | | | adulthood, often between the ages of 20 to 40, and |
| The participants were a group of 24 healthy adults, | | | | is believed to affect as many as 4 women to every |
| none of whom knew how to juggle before the | | | | man. |
| research began. The subjects were divided into two | | | | The symptoms are highly variable, and no one can |
| groups - one of the groups had weekly training in | | | | predict precisely how your condition will progress. The |
| juggling, and were instructed to practice an additional | | | | good news is that there are strategies to help |
| 30 minutes each day. The other group was told to | | | | manage symptoms and improve function. Still much |
| do nothing out of the ordinary. | | | | about MS is not clear - the cause being one of the |
| After the six weeks, the 12 jugglers could do at least | | | | most important areas where medicine needs to learn |
| two continuous cycles of a three ball juggling routine. | | | | more and research continues. |
| Of course, their skill levels varied quite a bit. | | | | "It's extremely exciting to see evidence that training |
| For the brain scans, the team used a diffusion MRI | | | | changes human white matter connections," adds |
| that measures the movement of water molecules in | | | | professor Cathy Price of the Wellcome Trust Centre |
| the brain tissues. At the 6-week point, a 5% increase | | | | for Neuroimaging. This latest finding compliments |
| in white matter was found in the rear area of the | | | | earlier work about changes in grey matter that come |
| brain known as the intraparietal sulcus in the jugglers. | | | | with training, and has scientists wondering about the |
| This part of the brain has been shown to have | | | | cellular mechanisms that may be at work. |
| nerves that react to reaching and grasping for | | | | In the meantime, learning something new, complex |
| objects in our peripheral vision. Even though some | | | | and mentally challenging, might be just the thing to |
| subjects were better jugglers than others, all of | | | | ensure a healthy, powerful brain. So, head into town |
| them showed the changes in white matter. | | | | and grab some balls and learn juggling to boost your |
| The researchers speculate that the time spent | | | | brain. |
| training and practicing is the key, rather than the level | | | | |