 |
People with more friends may also have bigger brains,
a new UK study suggests. AFP RELAXNEWS
|
Researchers at Oxford University in the UK found that in a study of 18 men and women, the brains of sociable subjects were bigger and better connected, especially in regions associated with sociability, The Telegraph reports.
When asked how many friends they had connected with, either in person, by email, or by phone, in the past month, most subjects said around 20, but some were in touch with more than 40 people, while others reported around 10.
Brain scans revealed that around six brain regions were bigger in people who were sociable, and the more friends they had, the larger these areas tended to be. Areas enhanced by sociability included the anterior cingulate cortex, an area we use to keep track of what other people are doing, the report adds.
"In more sociable humans, perhaps these communication pathways are more like motorways than windy country roads, making information processing more efficient and better," researcher Mary Ann Noonan said, according to The Telegraph.
Researchers presented their findings this week at the Society for Neuroscience's annual conference in San Diego. – AFP Relaxnews
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/881164
