motorcycling is good for your brain

[Van]

"BIKERS HAVE FITTER, FASTER BRAINS, SAYS TOP NEUROSCIENTISTS".

I got this a few days ago from a buddy of mine. It comes out of the English "Motor Cycle News" of March 25th, 2009.

Seems that biking gives you a top mental workout, and that motorcycling is good for your brain and your life!

 

"Research shows that riding for just two months raises the riders pre-frontal area-the brains main processor area for memory, space recognition, decision making and reaction. Long-term riders enjoyed improved cognition, concentration, and happiness, preformed better at work and had lower incidences of stress, illness, and worry".

In one test riders scored over 50% better than non-riders in a test requiring them to remember a set of numbers in reverse order.

"These results make sense. The brain is like a muscle -if you use it, it grows; if you don't, it atrophies. Bikers brains have a lot of information to encode quickly. Their brains are like fit muscles".

Also the need for subtle control points to the results: " Balancing and other sensitive control functions required for riding heighten brain activity". One researcher stated that, " it's a cocktal of emotion, stimulation and control that makes riding such a potent brain tonic: your brain benefits from any emotional input. Anything wrapped in a layer of fear, pleasure or excitement gets stored by the brain very accurately. Riding calls on half the brain-a huge amount for a single task- which makes it a very rich "food" for the brain".

Bikers brains benifitted in these areas;

Prefrontal Area:

sieves relevant stimulus from junk and makes decisions

-Higher functioning in bikers

Motor Cortex:

The "plan of Action" store

Bikers have more of this

Amygdala:

The source of panic-reduced reactions where fear is involved

Bikers resort to this less

Visual Cortex:

This brain area sees everything

bikers have a hightened ability to perceive distance and relative motion

Cerebellum:

Vital for balance

more powerful in bikers and sportspeople

 

So there you have it fellow Guzzita, Not only is riding our motorcycles food for our souls, but it's also good for our brains!

Cheers

Van

[Guest ratchethack]

But then, there are those for whom no amount of riding can help. . .

 

Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. As we

grow older, it's important to keep mentally alert. If you don't use it,

you lose it! This weeks MCN claims bikers have fitter faster brains - lets see, shall we?

 

Take the test presented here to determine if you're losing it or not.

The spaces below are so you don't see the answers until you've made your

answer.

 

OK, relax, clear your mind and begin.

 

 

1. What do you put in a toaster?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer: 'bread.' If you said 'toast,' give up now and do something

else. Try not to hurt yourself. If you said, bread, go to Question 2.

 

 

 

 

2. Say 'silk' five times. Now spell 'silk.' What do cows drink?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer: Cows drink water. If you said 'milk,' don't attempt the next

question. Your brain is over-stressed and may even overheat. Content

yourself with reading a more appropriate literature such as Auto World.

However, if you said 'water', proceed to question 3

 

 

 

3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from

blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house

is made from black bricks, what is a green house made from?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said 'green bricks,'

why the hell are you still reading these???

If you said 'glass,' go on to Question 4

 

 

 

 

 

4. It's twenty years ago, and a plane is flying at 20,000 feet over

Germany (If you will recall, Germany at the time was politically divided

into West Germany and East Germany .) Anyway, during the flight, two

engines fail. The pilot, realizing that the last remaining engine is

also failing, decides on a crash landing procedure. Unfortunately the

engine fails before he can do so and the plane fatally crashes smack in

the middle of 'no man's land' between East Germany and West Germany.

Where would you bury the survivors? East Germany, West Germany , or no

man's land'?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer: You don't bury survivors.

If you said ANYTHING else, your bike has spent too long in the garage. If you

said, 'You don't bury survivors', proceed to the next question.

 

 

 

5. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to

Milford Haven in Wales. In London , 17 people get on the bus. In

Reading , six people get off the bus and nine people get on. In Swindon,

two people get off and four get on. In Cardiff, 11 people get off

and 16 people get on. In Swansea, three people get off and five people

get on. In Carmathen, six people get off and three get on. You then

arrive at Milford Haven. What was the name of the bus driver?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer: Oh, for crying out loud!

Don't you remember your own name? It was YOU!!

[doug m]

It's a good thing biking helps your brain, because I'm still recovering from a miss- spent youth! Good quiz Ratch, Doh!

[Ralph Werner]

Does this work for outlaw motorcycle club members??

[Van]

Does this work for outlaw motorcycle club members??

 

Actually, I did think about that myself. Over the years I've met some pretty "interesting" types who ride and I've seen some pretty stupid behavior by fellow motorcyclists........and yes, I have been guilty of lapses in judgement on the odd occasion myself.

Makes you wonder just how bad some of us would be if we didn't ride....yikes!!

Cheers

Van

[Dan M]

Does this work for outlaw motorcycle club members??

 

Tough to prove. The regular beer consumption while riding offsets any brainpower gain.

[Greg Field]

I said greenhouses are made of plastic, since nearly all are. Am I cleared to ride?

[raz]

I said greenhouses are made of plastic, since nearly all are. Am I cleared to ride?

No, you should have said brass and thermal goo.

[Dan M]

No, you should have said brass and thermal goo.

 

 

Good one Raz

[luhbo]

Good one Raz

 

Not really. If not just silly!