A neuroscientist's guide to future-proofing your brain and thinking smarter in the 21st Century
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- Despite the human brain's structure remaining largely unchanged since the Stone Age and even shrinking over the past 10,000 years, new research explores how to maximize our cognitive potential using insights from neuroscience.
- Emotional intelligence and empathy, with a heritability between 10% and 45%, can be trained through self-compassion and understanding one’s emotions, which in turn positively affects social interactions.
- Studies suggest the gut microbiome influences altruistic behavior, with a more diverse microbiome linked to increased generosity, likely due to gut-brain signaling via the vagus nerve affecting brain regions involved in decision-making.
- Creativity can be enhanced by embracing daydreaming, spending time in nature, getting quality sleep, and engaging in physical activity, all of which promote brainwave patterns and neural growth conducive to innovative thinking.
- Human brains naturally experience tension between fear of change and a drive to innovate; accepting this duality can help individuals better navigate uncertainty and leverage their cognitive strengths in times of rapid social and technological transformation.