All of us experience random brain “white noise” from time to time — the type of buzzing, non-focused mental activity that most of us associate with anxiety or stress. A new research study from Canada suggests that random brain “noise” is actually a sign of healthy brain activity.
Researchers at the Rotman Research Institute in Canada found that as random brain noise quieted, memory and other tasks were negatively affected. Dr. Randy Macintosh, a researcher with the Institute said, “brain maturation not only leads to more stable and accurate behavior in the performance of a memory task, but correlates with increased brain signal variability.” In other words: random brain “noise.”
The Canadian researchers studied 79 participants, ranging from age 8 to 33, each of whom was given a series of memory tasks to perform. EEG recordings were also used to measure brain activity while each participant was performing the tasks. The results showed that young adults scored higher on face recognition than children (no surprises there); a clear indication of mature cognitive behavior.
But surprisingly, the researchers also found that the brain activity, or variability, of adults was increased while performing memorization tasks. In other words, random background brain “noise” was much higher in adults performing the memory tests than in children. The group’s findings are suggestive that, contrary to popular belief, random brain variability or “noise” increases in adulthood and is actually a healthy byproduct of a mature brain.
The researchers do not yet understand exactly why random brain noise is increased as we mature. It is possible that mature adults are much more adept at multitasking than children, so their brains are more likely to perform a variety of functions “in the background” while they are doing something else. Driving is a good example of this phenomenon: when we drive a car in traffic there are literally millions of variables that must be processed. If we attempted to consciously think of each variable, it would be practically impossible to operate a vehicle.
Instead, we relinquish many of the activities involved with driving a car to our background mind processes. This could potentially explain the increase in the background brain noise in healthy adults, though it is by no means a definitive answer.
Either way, this latest research flies in the face of conventional wisdom, which suggests that adult brains are “quieter” than those of children. Perhaps when adults say they feel like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders, it is really just the weight of so much background noise and information being processed by their brains.
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My brain is going all the time..so I do take at least five or ten minutes for quiet meditation..It really helps to focus..and it is easy…and everyone can find afew minutes.
carol stanley…www.spectacularaftersixty.blogspot.com and author of “For Kids 59.99 and Over”
Comment by carol stanley — July 13, 2008 @ 6:50 am