Can You Boost Your Brain Power Through Video?

Watching a video of simple tasks before carrying them out may boost the brain’s plasticity and increase motor skills, according to a recent study that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 2014 annual meeting. During the study, 36 right-handed healthy adults participated in 40-minute training sessions five times a week, for two weeks. Half the group watched videos of a specific tasks, such as writing with a pen or using scissors, and were then asked to complete the task themselves. The other half watched videos of landscapes and then were asked to complete the same tasks as the first group. Both groups underwent 3D MRI brain scans at the start of the study and then again, two weeks later. Results showed that the group who completed the training along with watching the activity videos had 11 times greater improvement of motor skill abilities, mainly in terms of strength, compared to those who watched the landscape videos. The findings suggest more research should be done to focus on how videos — which are now widely available on mobile phones and computers — can contribute to reducing disability and helping to improve those who are undergoing physical rehabilitation. To read more about this study, click here.