We always hear about different activities that we can do throughout our everyday life that are good for the brain. If you Google “activities that are good for the brain” you often find the following: exercise, doing a jigsaw puzzle, playing a musical instrument, etc. What about riding a motorcycle? Well, there was a recent research study that addressed that issue. You may have heard of quizzes, games, etc. that are available under the name “Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!” developed by Dr. Ryuta Kawashima. In conjunction with the University of Tokyo and Yamaha Motor Company, Dr. Kawashima investigated whether riding a motorcycle as part of an individual’s daily life had benefits on that individual’s cognitive/brain function.
The study took 22 men, ages 42 – 56, who had ridden motorcycles while they were young but had not been riding for 10 or more years. Eleven of the participants were asked to ride a motorcycle daily for both leisure and to commute to work for 2 months. The other 11 were instructed to maintain their current lifestyle and not ride a motorcycle. The study, which can be found in the International Journal of Automotive Engineering, 5 (2014), pp. 73-76, found that the motorcycle riding group had made significant improvements in certain cognitive function tests compared to their test results prior to beginning the study. Dr. Kawashima actually began conducting some research in conjunction with the Yamaha Motor Company in 2008 regarding the relationship between motorcycle riding and brain stimulation. Dr. Kawashima reported that this research confirmed the relationship between motorcycle riding and brain stimulation and noted the following:
- When riding a motorcycle, the brain of the rider is stimulated.
- Differences in brain use and level of brain stimulation can be observed in motorcyclists who ride regularly and in motorcyclists who have not ridden for extended periods (at least 10 years).
- Incorporating motorcycle riding into daily life improves various cognitive functions (particularly prefrontal cortex functions) and has positive effects on mental and emotional health such as stress reduction.
So, go hop on your motorcycle and feed your brain.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident and would like to discuss your rights, contact me today. The consultation is always free. In addition, I will travel to meet you at a location in North Carolina that is convenient to where you live.
Gary Poole – North Carolina Motorcycle Accident Attorney “On the Side of Those Who Ride”