Brummie Cabbie wrote:
Hippocampus
Do they get to put that on the 'extras' then?
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| Investigation Shows London Cabbie's Have Larger Hippocampus http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9397 |
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| Author: | Brummie Cabbie [ Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:00 am ] |
| Post subject: | Investigation Shows London Cabbie's Have Larger Hippocampus |
Taxi Drivers 'have brain sat-nav' 12th September 2008 Scientists have uncovered evidence of an in-built "sat-nav" system in the brains of London taxi drivers. They used magnetic scanners to explore the brain activity of taxi drivers as they navigated their way through a virtual simulation of London's streets. Different brain regions were activated as they considered route options, spotted familiar landmarks or thought about their customers. The research was presented at this week's BA Science Festival. Earlier studies had shown that taxi drivers have a larger hippocampus - a region of the brain that plays an important role in navigation. Their brains even "grow on the job" as they build up detailed information needed to find their way around London's labyrinth of 250,000 streets - information famously referred to as "The Knowledge". "We were keen to go beyond brain structure - and see what activity is going on inside the brains of taxi drivers while they are doing their job," said Dr Hugo Spiers from University College London. The scientists used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to obtain "minute by minute" brain images from 20 taxi drivers as they delivered customers to destinations on "virtual jobs". The scientists adapted the Playstation2 game "Getaway" to bring the streets of London into the scanner. After the scan - and without prior warning - the drivers watched a replay of their performance and reported what they had been thinking at each stage. "We tried to peel out the common thoughts that taxi drivers tend to have as they drive through the city, and then tie them down to a particular time and place," said Dr Spiers. The series of scans revealed a complex choreography of brain activity as the taxi drivers responded to different scenarios. The hippocampus was only active when the taxi drivers initially planned their route, or if they had to completely change their destination during the course of the journey. The scientists saw activity in a different brain region when the drivers came across an unexpected situation - for example, a blocked-off junction. Another part of the brain helped taxi drivers to track how close they were to the endpoint of their journey; like a metal detector, its activity increased when they were closer to their goal. Changes also occurred in brain regions that are important in social behaviour. Taxi driving is not just about navigation: "Drivers do obsess occasionally about what their customers are thinking," said Dr Spiers. Animals use a number of different mechanisms to navigate - the Sun's polarized light rays, the Earth's magnetic fields and the position of the stars. This research provides new information about the specific roles of areas within the brains of expert human navigators. Source; BBC News; Science |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:54 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Investigation Shows London Cabbie's Have Large Hippocamp |
Brummie Cabbie wrote: Hippocampus
Do they get to put that on the 'extras' then?
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| Author: | wannabeeahack [ Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:27 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
ive got camelcampus ive got the hump |
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| Author: | toots [ Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Investigation Shows London Cabbie's Have Larger Hippocam |
Brummie Cabbie wrote: Taxi Drivers 'have brain sat-nav'
12th September 2008 "We tried to peel out the common thoughts that taxi drivers tend to have as they drive through the city, and then tie them down to a particular time and place," said Dr Spiers. Source; BBC News; Science Surely this is a dangerous thing trying to work out what taxi drivers think
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| Author: | wannabeeahack [ Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Investigation Shows London Cabbie's Have Larger Hippocam |
toots wrote: Brummie Cabbie wrote: Taxi Drivers 'have brain sat-nav' 12th September 2008 "We tried to peel out the common thoughts that taxi drivers tend to have as they drive through the city, and then tie them down to a particular time and place," said Dr Spiers. Source; BBC News; Science Surely this is a dangerous thing trying to work out what taxi drivers think i bet he gets paid more for studying cabbies than any cabbie earns... |
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| Author: | skippy41 [ Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:22 am ] |
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Why have all the wires connected, just shine a torch in one ear and if doesn't show on the other side there's a blockage there's something there
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| Author: | Sussex [ Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:31 pm ] |
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I believe someone is taking the pi**. 
Another take on the story |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:44 pm ] |
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Sussex wrote: I believe someone is taking the pi**. http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/scotland-dies-laughing-20071121549/ Thought that one was best Quote: "In a house near Edinburgh we found a man face down on the living room floor with his trousers and pants round his knees.
Aint heard from Jasbar
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| Author: | Brummie Cabbie [ Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:58 pm ] |
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You could just imagine taking a London cab in the last few days after this story surfaced, & at the end of the journey asking the driver, "What's the 60p Extras for driver?" Oh, that's for my larger hippocampus!" |
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| Author: | acabbie [ Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:47 am ] |
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we'd never stoop so low!!! Larger hippocampus is gratis 
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