Brain power, not brute strength, may explain how karate experts can break bricks with a bare-handed strike, according to scientists who say years of martial arts training alter the organ\'s wiring. Researchers in Britain compared the short-range punches of a dozen karate masters to those of 12 physically fit novices and found the black belts\' secret lay not in muscle power but an ability to coordinate the peak velocity of their shoulder and wrist. This allowed higher acceleration and a bigger impact force, the scientists say in the latest issue of the journal Cerebral Cortex. The scientists then scanned the two groups\' brains, and found that those who threw the bigger punch had changes in the structure of their white matter, which transmits signals between the brain\'s processing regions. The longer they had been training, the more changes. \"The karate black belts were able to repeatedly coordinate their punching action with a level of coordination that novices can\'t produce,\" study co-author Ed Roberts of Imperial College London\'s medicine department said in a statement. \"We think that ability might be related to fine tuning of neural connections in the cerebellum (the part of the brain that governs motor control), allowing them to synchronise their arm and trunk movements very accurately.\" Scientists believe that through the process of learning a skill, patterns of brain activity adapt as performance improves. Now they believe they have also found proof of changes to the actual brain structure. \"This has implications for our understanding of the role of white matter connectivity in motor coordination,\" said the paper.
GMT 14:01 2018 Thursday ,30 August
Expat with rare heart disorder gets life-saving surgeryGMT 00:18 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Boy with 10-pound tumour on face diesGMT 21:23 2018 Monday ,22 January
All set for first global medical tourism conference in DubaiGMT 22:46 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Second face transplant for FrenchmanGMT 07:51 2018 Saturday ,20 January
Trio aquitted of negligence in Canada railway disasterGMT 10:57 2018 Thursday ,18 January
Breastfeeding for 6 months cuts diabetes risk in half: studyGMT 16:10 2018 Wednesday ,17 January
Child mummy in Italy had hepatitis, not smallpoxGMT 18:36 2018 Tuesday ,16 January
Greece strikes cause transport chaos, healthcare delays

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor