In a rare, longitudinal study, researchers from Aalto University and the University of Oulu tracked one person's brain and behavioral activity for five months using brain scans and data from wearable devices and smartphones. 'We wanted to go beyond isolated events,' says research leader Ana Triana. Our behavior and mental states are constantly shaped by our environment and experiences.
Yet, we know little about the response of brain functional connectivity to environmental, physiological, and behavioral changes on different timescales, from days to months." Ana Triana, Aalto University The study found that our brains do not respond to daily life in immediate, isolated bursts. Instead, brain activity evolves in response to sleep patterns, physical activity, mood, and respiration rate over many days.
This suggests that even a workout or a restless night from last week could still affect your brain -; and therefore your attention, cognition and memory -; well into next week. The research also revealed a strong link between heart rate variability -; a measure of the heart's adaptability -; and brain connectivity, particularly during rest. This suggests that impacts on our body's relaxation response, like stress management techniques, could shape our brain's wiring even when we are not actively concentrating on a task.
Physical activity was also found to positively influence the way brain regions interact, potentially impacting memory and cognitive flexibility. Even subtle shifts .
