Brain need revving up? On yer bike!

(China Daily/Agencies)
Updated: 2009-03-11 09:20

Riding motorcycles helps keep drivers young by invigorating their brains, says the scientist behind the popular "Brain Training" computer software.

"The driver's brain gets activated by riding motorbikes" in part because it requires heightened alertness, said Ryuta Kawashima after his research team and Yamaha Motors conducted a string of experiments involving middle-aged men.

"In a convenient and easy environment, the human mind and body get used to setting the hurdle low," he warns. "Our final conclusion is that riding motorcycles can lead to smart aging."

A self-professed motorcycle fan, 49-year-old Kawashima cited a new study conducted jointly by Yamaha and Tohoku University, where he works.

One experiment involved 22 men, all in their 40s and 50s, who held motorcycle licenses but had not taken a ride for at least a decade.

They were randomly split into two groups - one was asked to resume daily riding for two months, the other to keep using bicycles or cars.

"The group that rode motorbikes posted higher marks in cognitive function tests," says Kawashima.

In one test, which required the men to remember a set of numbers in reverse order, the riders' scores jumped by more than 50 percent in two months, while the non-riders' marks deteriorated slightly.

The riders also said they made fewer mistakes at work and felt happier. "Mental care is a very big issue in modern society," says Kawashima. "I think we have raised an interesting issue here as the data showed you can improve your mental condition simply by using motorbikes to commute."

Kawashima's "Brain Training" software incorporates various games and is available on the Nintendo DS game console.