Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA29814 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Mon, 20 Mar 2000 15:56:16 GMT Message-ID: <A4400389479FD3118C9400508B0FF230040BA5@DELTA.newhouse.akzonobel.nl> From: "Gatherer, D. (Derek)" <D.Gatherer@organon.nhe.akzonobel.nl> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: taxi drivers' hippocampi Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2000 16:52:57 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Wadw:
I do wonder if this research was done by looking at each
individual over time, rather than looking at the statistical measurements
of the aggregate of drivers.
Derek:
The latter of the two, ie. it was done 'vertically' on a cohort of 32 to 62
year old right-handed male taxi drivers with no history of mental illness or
other brain-related disease. Controls were matched for age, handedness and
medical history. However, there was also a correlation of the effect with
time spent as a taxi driver, which is a longitudunal study of sorts, I
suppose.
Wade:
And, (I shudder to ask) _is_ this a hypothesis of Blackmore's- that such
plasticity _should_ be evidenced, and (I repeat my shudder)- was this
plasticity _not_ evidenced before, or hypothesized?
Derek:
The whole thing had previously been hypothesised, and tested to an extent,
and confirmed to an extent, in rats. There was also some supporting
evidence from brain-damaged human patients. This is the first study,
apparently, on healthy humans. I suppose it demonstrates that 'natural'
cultural/environmental factors in humans can have the same kinds of effects
as the kind of thing done under the very artificial environment of rats
running around mazes.
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