Research says that in the autumn you remember to be tough and the summer is easier to focus

A recent study by scientists shows that the regions of the cortex work at different rates depending on the time of year.

You often feel gloomy winter and spring is full of joy. In addition to this normal feeling, a new study recently presented in the Russian Academy's yearbook also says seasons can change your way of thinking.

When comparing the cognitive functions of the 28 volunteers tested at different times of the year, the researchers found a significant change in their brain regions in each season. Specifically, areas related to high-performance working memory in the fall, areas related to the ability to concentrate more effectively in the summer. Although it is still early to conclude that the seasonal factor has an impact on people's morale, at least this study has initially shown that there is a relationship between the time of the year with the learning and practicing results. their micro.

There is a relationship between the times of the year with learning and behavior results.

Pierre MAQUET and Gilles Vandewalle, the two leading scientists of the Liège University (Belgium) recruited 28 healthy volunteers, divided equally by gender and aged around 21. To rule out the effect of rhythm Daily rhythms and environmental factors, the researchers prepared conditions for volunteers to stay in the lab for about 4.5 days.

During this time, participants suffered 42 hours of sleep deprivation in a soundproofed room, dim lighting and absolutely no concept of time.

Then they have a good sleep to recover before entering the cognitive tests, completing tasks that require high attention. Researchers use magnetic resonators (fMRI) to monitor the brains activity of volunteers. These images will then be studied and analyzed by scientists to understand the changes in areas of the brain.

The results show the activity of regions of the brain that volunteers have changed over the seasons in a year. Although this difference does not affect their overall performance in the tests, the images show that some areas of the brain must accelerate to complete the tasks, depending on the season.

Photographs of regions of the brain that volunteers have changed over the seasons in a year.

In particular, the part of the brain involved in the ability to remember is most active in the fall and appears to be more idle in the spring. The brain area is involved in the ability to concentrate in action with the highest performance in the summer and lowest in the winter.

Next, researchers will have to classify biochemical changes with specific signs of seasonal volunteers, such as temperature and humidity, to understand its impact on cognition and ability. learning ability.

This research is still ongoing by scientists.