RESEARCH SUMMARIESThe Learning Brain, Vol. 5 No.6 June 2003, Sleep Enhances Academic Performance, by Michael Dabney. Sleep, and even napping, enhances “…information processing and learning” as reported by Dr. Judith Ownes and Todd Arnedt. Sleep deprivation over a month in duration, on the other hand, has an accumulative effect on mental processing and the planting of memory. In fact, they have found that such deprivation would impair functioning to a degree equal to that resulting from blood alcohol concentration of .04 to .06. Their work was presented at the May, 2003 meeting of Pediatric Academic Societies.
It was found that children in 4-6 grades that lost one hour of sleep per night “…experienced higher rates of fatigue…scored lower on tests that measured reaction time, alertness, and other cognitive factors.” Naps also help – although a one-hour nap contains 4X more REM sleep, necessary for the planting of memories, than half-hour naps do.
The Learning Brain, Vol. 5 No.6 June 2003, Why Rewards Lose Their Sizzle, by Jennifer Decker Arevalo, M.A. In work done with functional magnetic resonance imaging, it was found that the response patterns to different rewards varied in location within the brain. The amygdala, striatum and dopaminergic midbrain responded to rewards. Within the pre-motor cortex, the amount of activity increased as the reward “ante” went up – meaning that within a classroom, the reward may need to increase in value consistently to activate the portion of the brain connected to pleasure. In a study by scientists at Emory University and Baylor College of Medicine, the brain activity in response to rewards was influenced by the predictability of the reward. Predictable rewards of “pleasurable stimuli” caused less activity in the pleasure centers of the brain (nucleus accumbens) than unpredictable rewards. So random rewards may help the rewards retain the likelihood of high brain impact.
The Learning Brain, Vol. 5 No.6 June 2003, Bringing the Outside In Gives the Brain a Boost, by Karen Selsor. A study at Cornell University has found that “…an abundance of greenery links with psychological well-being in students.” It appears that student attention improves and stress levels drop when greenery is added, and even when nature views are present.
The Learning Brain, Vol. 5 No.6 June 2003, Kids Like to Eat What Mom Likes to Eat, by Jennifer Decker Arevalo, M.A. Researchers at the University of Tennessee, studying seventy children from age 2 months through eight years of age, found that young children’s “…food preferences” are influenced by the mother of the child, and often at an early age. The preferences influence food preferences as they age. The study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, surmises that in an effort to bring pleasure to their children, youngsters often provide convenience and fast foods, setting a pattern for consumption of nutrient poor food. Such a diet can lead to obesity, onset of type II diabetes, and poor academic performance. Behavior, it has been noted by Dr. Harriett Light, can be negatively affected – particularly by deficiences in iron, folate and zinc.
The Learning Brain, Vol. 5 No.6 June 2003, Media Violence and Aggression, by Karen Selsor. An ongoing study of more than 325 youngsters finds that those viewing realistic, violent media links directly to aggression later in life.
Researchers found that the more realistic the program viewed, and the more the child identifies with the violent characters, the more likely it is that their own behavior will be reflective of the aggression. In addition, if violent characters are rewarded for their aggressive behavior, it has a more powerful impact on a child viewer than character behavior that is punished for violence. To determine the level of aggression in grown adults, the subjects were questioned about their own aggressive behavior, the partners and friends of subjects were questioned, and data concerning traffic violations and criminal convictions.
Interestingly, the behavior trends held for both males and females although the manner in which it was manifested as adults varied by gender, with males more likely to act physically by shoving or grabbing, or insulting verbally. Women, on the other hand, were more likely to throw objects or perhaps punch a mate. The study brings to light mounting information that exposure to television violence can cause aggression.
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SEARCH SUSAN J. JONES
