Birdwatching in a natural environment can slow down age-related changes in the brain. This conclusion was reached by researchers from Canada. New Scientist reports on this.
The study involved 48 birdwatching enthusiasts aged between 22 and 79 years. Half of them had long been engaged in birdwatching, while the others were just starting to familiarize themselves with this activity. Participants were shown images of similar species and given ten seconds to find differences between the two pictures. During this time, specialists recorded the activity of various areas of the brain.
Experienced participants recognized almost twice as many species compared to novices. When encountering less familiar individuals, areas responsible for visual analysis, attention concentration, object recognition, and working memory were activated. This indicates the involvement of a wide range of cognitive mechanisms in the process of birdwatching.
The study also showed that structural changes in the brain occur in everyone with age; however, in experienced birdwatchers, these changes are less pronounced. Scientists believe that regular birdwatching forms what is known as cognitive reserve—the brain's ability to resist aging and compensate for possible damage.
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