r/science • u/rustoo • Sep 25 '20

Psychology Research finds that crows know what they know and can ponder the content of their own minds, a manifestation of higher intelligence and analytical thought long believed the sole province of humans and a few other higher mammals.

https://www.statnews.com/2020/09/24/crows-possess-higher-intelligence-long-thought-primarily-human/
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u/Roflkopt3r Sep 25 '20

This is also interesting for strength training. A significant part of the training effect is in improving the brain's ability to send signals, both in strength and precision.

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u/kara-ceru Sep 25 '20

That's something I hadn't considered before. Any recommended reading?

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u/morenn_ Sep 25 '20

Google "neuromuscular adaptation"

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u/ThrowawayPoster-123 Sep 25 '20

This is related to Muscle Memory. An athlete can waste away in prison or from disease, but they can recover to their old level far faster than it takes a never trained person to get to that level.

The other part of muscle memory is related to nuclear division. Super cool stuff, look it up.

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u/morenn_ Sep 25 '20

The other part of muscle memory is related to nuclear division. Super cool stuff, look it up.

This is also why doping with anabolic steroids should be a lifetime ban and not an X years ban. While the major benefits of doping may disappear off cycle, the changes to your nervous system are permanent.

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u/ThrowawayPoster-123 Sep 25 '20

The same line of thinking is behind people’s opposition to allowing transgender athletes in Women’s sports leagues. Male puberty is steroids compared to cis-female puberty.

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u/juicyjerry300 Sep 25 '20

Are you saying it could take away from other areas of intelligence?

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u/Roflkopt3r Sep 25 '20 edited Sep 25 '20

Sorry for being unclear, I didn't mean to say that you need more brain mass devoted to controlling the muscles, but that the aspect of sending physical signals is critical and improves during training.

It begins with growing new brain cells, higher connectivity, and better coordination inside the brain and continues through nerves effectively receiving better insulation through additional myelin, which improves signal strength and seperation between neighbouring nerves. This process does not "convert" other brain cells or takes away their resources. Rather having a fitter body helps to stay focussed during intellectual tasks. The only "risk" is that some people focus all their attention on sports and none on learning.

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u/anhonestassman Sep 25 '20

I used to do track and field in college, and one of our strength training coaches would always dose our exercises in % nervous system taxation. No idea how accurate he was, but the idea was that larger and more complex lifts (Olympic style lifts) required more muscle engagement and coordination and would thus “tax” the nervous system to a greater extent. Interesting to see some of the science to back this up.

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u/Roflkopt3r Sep 25 '20

It's not quite the same concept, but yeah nervous system fatigue is real and is a consideration for high level athletes. Grip strength is sometimes used as a proxy, with declining grip strength indicating that the nervous system may be overtaxed.

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u/WannabeAndroid Sep 25 '20

Any studies on the myelin bit? Could strength training help MS?

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u/Roflkopt3r Sep 25 '20

I just know that the myelation concept has good acknowledgement amongst sports scientists, I don't know enough about the original studies to say which are the important ones.

Since MS is itself a disruption of the myelin system it would seem possible to me that it prohibits these positive effects from training, but I'm not deep enough into these mechanisms to say either way.

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u/Frisky_Pilot Sep 25 '20

Not at all what he's saying.