Baduk, proved to affect on brain development!

[palapiku]

I'm always stronger after a break. The less I play, the stronger I am!

This is probably partly explained by increased mindfulness you get while doing something you're not too familiar with.

[Exologist]

Juggling is muscle memory, so obviously that isn't very transferable.

This is obviously incorrect.

Obviously.

So it isn't muscle memory?

[amnal]

Juggling is muscle memory, so obviously that isn't very transferable.

This is obviously incorrect.

Obviously.

So it isn't muscle memory?

Of course it involves muscle memory, but I don't think it's reasonable to say 'juggling is only muscle memory so it does nothing to the brain in a way that could affect other skils'.

In fact, I bet there have been studies that show juggling makes you better at maths or vice versa (on the basis that if there aren't, it'll be the only thing that won't ). Also it probably gives you cancer.

[Xiaoding]

The brain re-uses everything. For instance, muscule memory is used in language. First, you learn to put one thing in front of another, with your arms. Then, you learn that you can put the first thing behind the other thing! A portion of your brain remembers that.

You then learn to write. You put one word in front of another. Then, you learn that you can put the first word in back of the other! Same part of the brain is used for that. Muscule memory is used to mentally manipulate concepts. in fact, as far as the brain is concerned, the whole of reality is just another concept.

What you learn, any skill at all, is used all over the brain, as much as possible. Otherwise, we would never be able to learn it all, constantly re-inventing the same techniques for slightly different things.

They have, indeed, tested the effect of learning a new skill, on people who were not inclined to learn that skill to begin with. The effect was the same, the brain developsin the same areas, whether you like the activity or not.

Neurons that are not in use, die off. The number of connections that they have determines the amount of food that they get. So, constantly learning, gets more food to the brain. Until death, anyways. Probably because people stop eating at that point.

[ketchup]

Honestly, this news is very cool. I've always wondered about the effects of Baduk on younger people, and really, this is big sign that it has an overall positive impact. I hope they keep research like this up, so I can possibly see a surge in Go outside of Asian countries as a teaching reference or a development tool.