Summary: A study by Aalto University and the University of Oulu revealed that the effects of sleep, exercise, heart rate, and mood can last up to two weeks in the brain, impacting attention, cognition, and memory. The research used wearable technology and brain scans over a five-month period, tracking how brain connectivity evolves in response to physiological and behavioral changes. The findings suggest that even subtle shifts in daily habits can leave lasting effects on brain function, highlighting the importance of understanding long-term impacts on mental and physical health.
Key Takeaways:
- Long-Lasting Brain Effects: Poor sleep, physical activity, and mood changes can influence brain function for up to 15 days, affecting cognition, attention, and memory.
- Heart Rate and Brain Connectivity: Heart rate variability was strongly linked to brain connectivity during rest, suggesting that stress management techniques may shape brain function even during relaxation.
- Personalized Mental Health Insights: The study demonstrates the potential for personalized healthcare by tracking brain changes in real-time, which could lead to early detection of neurological and mental health conditions.
In a 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 in a release. “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.’
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 in mood and heart rate left lasting imprints for up to fifteen days.
Study Goes Beyond a Snapshot
The research is unusual in that few brain studies involve detailed monitoring over days and weeks. “The use of wearable technology was crucial,” says Triana in a release. “Brain scans are useful tools, but a snapshot of someone lying still for half an hour can only show so much. Our brains do not work in isolation.”
Triana was herself the subject of the research, monitored as she went about her daily life. Her unique role as both lead author and study participant added complexity, but also brought firsthand insights into how best to maintain research integrity over several months of personalized data collection.
“At the beginning, it was exciting and a bit stressful. Then, routine settles in, and you forget,” says Triana in a release. Data from the devices and twice-weekly brain scans were complemented by qualitative data from mood surveys.
The researchers identified two distinct response patterns: a short-term wave lasting under seven days and a long-term wave up to fifteen days. The former reflects rapid adaptations, like how focus is impacted by poor sleep, but it recovers quickly. The long wave suggests more gradual, lasting effects, particularly in areas tied to attention and memory.
Single-Subject Studies Offer Opportunities for Improving Mental Health Care
The researchers hope their approach will inspire future studies that combine brain data with everyday life to help personalize mental health treatment.
“We must bring data from daily life into the lab to see the full picture of how our habits shape the brain, but surveys can be tiring and inaccurate,” says study co-author, neuroscientist, and physician Nick Hayward, PhD, in a release. “Combining concurrent physiology with repeated brain scans in one person is crucial. Our approach gives context to neuroscience and delivers very fine detail to our understanding of the brain.”
The study is also a proof-of-concept for patient research. Tracking brain changes in real-time could help detect neurological disorders early, especially mental health conditions where subtle signs might be missed.
“Linking brain activity with physiological and environmental data could revolutionize personalized healthcare, opening doors for earlier interventions and better outcomes,” says Triana in a release.
The results were published in PLOS Biology.
Photo caption: Restless sleep correlates with lower connectivity between the default mode network nodes, and default mode network and somatomotor network nodes. The default mode network is a group of brain regions that are active when we are at rest, not focusing on any specific task. The somatomotor network involves brain regions that are responsible for controlling movement and processing sensations from the body, such as touch and physical feedback.
Photo credit: Ana Triana et al / Aalto University
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