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Topic: We have bigger brains!!!!!!!! |
Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
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Posted 18 Jun 2002 5:20 am |
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And I have scientific proof! Forwarded from a friend via Email:
Musicians found to have "more sensitive brains" By Lorna Duckworth, Health correspondent 17 June 2002
Musicians have bigger and more sensitive brains than people who do not play
instruments, scientists revealed yesterday.
The auditory cortex, which is the part of the brain concerned with hearing, contains 130 per cent more "grey matter" in professional musicians than in non-musicians.
In amateur players, the volume of the auditory cortex is between the two, a team of researchers from Heidelberg University in Germany has found. They used scans and imaging techniques to compare the size and activity of the auditory cortex in 37 people.
The professionals, who all performed regularly, showed 102 per cent more
activity in their auditory cortex than non-musicians. Activity in the brains
of amateur musicians was on average 37 per cent higher than in those who did not play an instrument, the researchers said in a report in Nature Neuroscience. The auditory cortex consists mainly of "grey matter" or nerve
cells called neurons, which are interconnected by long filament-like axons,
or "white matter".
The scientists found startling physical differences between the three groups. Those with musical experience had larger amounts of grey matter in the region called the Heschl's gyrus. The structure contained 536 to 983
cubic millimetres of grey matter in professional musicians, 189 to 798 cubic
millimetres in amateurs, and 172 to 450 cubic millimetres in non-musicians.
There was also a high correlation between auditory brain activity and the musical aptitude of volunteers, who were asked to spot subtle changes in pairs of short melodies.
The researchers added that post-mortem studies had revealed abnormally large
Heschl's gyrus structures in two eminent musicians. But whether such differences were due to genetics or the effect of musical exposure on the brain remained unclear.
"Our results indicate that the morphology and neurophysiology of HG (Heschl's gyrus) have an essential impact on musical aptitude," said the report's lead author, Peter Schneider. "The question remains, however,
whether early exposure to music or a genetic predisposition leads to the functional and anatomical differences between musicians and
non-musicians."
P.S.--Don't tell those pedal-steel guys, whatever you do.--Bob
[This message was edited by Bob Stone on 18 June 2002 at 06:22 AM.] |
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Posted 18 Jun 2002 5:37 am
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You interpreted the data incorrectly Bob.
The researchers were studying "big headed" musicians.
Remember the old joke?...
How many guitarists does it take to change a light bulb? One, and three thousand more to say "I could of changed it better".
p.s.
Where can I get some of those Herschel's Gyros? They sound pretty tasty.
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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 18 June 2002 at 06:40 AM.] |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 18 Jun 2002 7:23 am
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| duuhhhh, I knew I had bigger brains. Let's see now, the C chord...is it c f and b ? |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 18 Jun 2002 11:27 am
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In further research among musicians it was found that steel players have bigger asses  !
Bob |
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Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 18 Jun 2002 7:25 pm
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Uhhh... Bob? They found that only those steel players who play sitting down have the larger buttocks. Those of us steelers who play standing up have managed to escape this phenomenon!
TJW |
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Rick Collins
From:
Claremont , CA USA
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Posted 19 Jun 2002 7:15 am
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This thread is very informative. I've learned these things that I did not know:
Elephants, rhinos. and hippos. play steel guitar and they play them sitting down.
Rick |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 19 Jun 2002 11:01 am
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No wonder so many are killing their brain cells. Overcrowding..
Yup, you, yup... |
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Jason Lollar
From:
Seattle area
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Posted 19 Jun 2002 11:16 am
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| I wonder if they scanned any drummers brains? |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 19 Jun 2002 3:42 pm
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They want to, but can't find any.
(They've found lots of drummers.)
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 19 Jun 2002 6:36 pm
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| If we had bigger brains, we would have taken up white collar crime. |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 20 Jun 2002 12:52 am
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After all of these years.........hummmmm?
Obviously, I was misinformed! |
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John P. Phillips
From:
Folkston, Ga. U.S.A., R.I.P.
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Posted 20 Jun 2002 3:00 am
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DUHHHH !!!!!!
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"Let's go STEEL something"
If it feels good, do it. If it feels COUNTRY, do it twice
jpp
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Kenny Dail
From:
Kinston, N.C. R.I.P.
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Posted 20 Jun 2002 6:41 am
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How do you explain this (__!__) and she doesn't play any kind of a musical instrument.
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kd...and the beat goes on...
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