As the old saying goes, “curiosity killed the cat,” a phrase meant to warn of the dangers of unnecessary investigation. But now there are a few scientists who might argue that being curious is a good thing that can actually give you a memory boost.
The study, published in the journal Neuron, found that participants were better at remembering information about topics they were curious about. An MRI scan on each participant revealed which part of the brain would change when they were presented with trivia questions. Once they saw the question for the first time, the subjects were asked to rank their curiosity of the answer based on a given scale. After hearing the answers to each question, researchers later performed a memory test on the answers. They noticed that the participants were more likely to remember the answer to the questions they were most curious about.
The brain scans of these participants during the test showed increased activity in the areas of the brain linked to reward and memory, indicating that curiosity could be a factor in helping people form memories, as well as learning and retaining new information.
These findings emphasize the importance of curiosity in maintaining a healthy and sound mind as we age. Staying curious and learning new information can help you keep a sharp mind and help your mind stay in tip-top shape for years to come.
This report is based on an article from Fox News
