Driving for more than 2 hours daily may lower your IQ: researchJuly 24, 2017 - 13:49 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Driving cars may be sending your brain into reverse, warn scientists - including one of Indian origin - who have found that regularly spending over two hours a day behind the wheel reduces intelligence, The Times says. Researchers found that brain power fell faster in middle-aged people who drove long distances every day. They suggest that people who want to protect their brains against the ravages of ageing should minimise their time on the road and find activities that are more mentally stimulating, such as socialising. "We know that regularly driving for more than two to three hours a day is bad for your heart," said Kishan Bakrania, from the Leicester University in the UK. "This research suggests it is bad for your brain, too, perhaps because your mind is less active in those hours," said Bakrania. Researchers studied lifestyles of more than 500,000 Britons aged 37-73 over five years, during which they took intelligence and memory tests. "Cognitive decline is measurable over five years because it can happen fast in middle-aged and older people. This is associated with lifestyle factors such as smoking and bad diet - and now with time spent driving," Bakrania said. Researchers found that the 93,000 people who drove for more than two to three hours a day typically had lower brainpower, 'The Times' reported. Over the following five years, their brainpower kept declining faster than for people who did little or no driving. "Driving causes stress and fatigue, with studies showing the links between them and cognitive decline," Bakrania said. —PTI Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. |