Bigger Brain Size due to Social Networking?

According to the "Social-Brain" theory, portions of the brain increase in size the bigger and more complex the social network around you is.

Specifically the amygdala, the central component of the limbic brain system which is known to be vital to understanding aspects of emotion, memory and social behaviour, is thought to increase in size.
To manage social contacts and aquaintances the brain needs a more capable centre for managing its "data".

Hank Grebe / Pures/tock / SuperStock

An American group of scientists has now found in humans what was before known for other animals. The bigger and more complex the "herd", the larger the volume of the amygdala.
But it is not only the brain that increases in size, other parts of the nervous system, like the optic nerve are known to improve in other animals.

Now the trouble with social networks is the depending on how they are used they can also isolate people, reversing the effect. But if these online communities are used to reinforce contacts the internet can be a great tool for "being social".

If social networks can turn shy people into masters of socialising remains to be seen. Soon MRI scans might show clues.


So. Your opinions on social networks? Helpful for keeping contacts, good for making new ones, or rather the opposite, leading to isolation?

Full control with a bionic arm

After amputations, the nerve cells in the stump remain active and healthy, at least for a while. This is now being used by a researchers to create and allow use of highly dexterious, thought controlled prothetics.

Todd Kuiken, a biomechanical engineer at Northwestern University, and his team are looking at how different patterns of brain activity can be used to control prosthetic limbs.
They do this by connecting the nerves from the stump to chest muscles. When the patient thinks about moving his chest muscles, the signals are picked up by the nerves that were previously connected to the arm and interpreted by a computer which relays the information to the bionic arm. This has the potential to give patients control over a wider range of movements than was ever possible before.

With conventional prosthetics people tend to lose control over their nerves, as they are no longer used, but with the new technology, nerve signals are becoming stronger. This could be due to the brain getting used to the rewired pathways.

Next, Kuiken's team wants to make the technology accessible to a greater number of patients. They plan to develop the system so it can be applied to less high-tech prosthetics currently on the market.

Claudia Mitchell - first woman to receive a bionic arm. (Credit: Dayna Smith - The Washington Post)