People concerned about their cognitive function are often encouraged to use it or lose it. They may work crossword puzzles or play computer games designed to test memory and spatial coordination. Perhaps they should try juggling as well. Researchers in Oxford, England recruited two dozen young healthy people for their study. Half were taught how to juggle and were encouraged to practice for at least half an hour a day. The control group had no special training. Everyone had MRI brain scans before and after the six week experiment.
Those who juggled had increased the white matter in their brains by 5 percent. This reflected an increase in nerve fibers and their connections. Whether such changes could be helpful in treating neurological conditions such as MS or Alzheimer’s disease remains to be determined.
[Nature Neuroscience, online Oct. 11, 2009]
