[h1 style="font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal;"]I always knew Oprah was bad your brain![/h1][hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"]Daytime TV tied to poorer mental scores in elderly
[div class="storyhdr"] [span] By Amy Norton [/span] [em class="timedate"]Mon Mar 20, 10:41 AM ET[/em]
[/p] [/div] NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older women who say talk shows and soap operas are their favorite TV programs tend to score more poorly on tests of memory, attention and other cognitive skills, researchers reported Monday. [/p]That doesn't mean that daytime television is a brain drain, they say, since it's not clear that there's a direct relationship between the two.[/p] But the findings do point to some association between TV choices and intellectual function, and that could prove useful in evaluating older people for cognitive decline, according lead investigator Dr. Joshua Fogel of Brooklyn College of the City University of New York.[/p] A study of 289 older women without dementia found that those who rated talk shows and soaps as their favorite programs performed more poorly on tests of memory, attention and mental quickness than their peers who cited other types of shows.[/p] What's more, they were at greater risk of showing signs of clinical impairment. For example, compared with women who preferred to watch news programs, those who favored soaps were more than seven times more likely to show signs of impairment on one of the tests, while talk show fans were more than 13 times more likely to demonstrate impairment.[/p] "Those findings are quite robust," Fogel told Reuters Health.[/p] He said it's not possible to tell whether the programs somehow contribute to cognitive decline or whether women in the early stages of decline gravitate toward those shows. Preferences for daytime TV could also be a marker of a sedentary, homebound lifestyle, and research suggests that staying physically and socially active can help stave off mental decline.[/p] But regardless of the reasons, a preference for talk shows and soaps "is a marker of something suspicious," Fogel said.[/p] He believes that doctors could ask older patients about their favorite TV shows as one way of spotting those who might need more screening for cognitive decline.[/p] "It's really a simple, friendly question to ask," Fogel said.[/p] The findings, which are published in the Southern Medical Journal, are based on questionnaires and standard cognitive tests completed by 289 women ages 70 to 79. None had dementia or physical disabilities and the researchers factored in variables such as education, race, depression and history of heart attack, high blood pressure or diabetes.[/p] Even with those factors considered, TV habits were related to cognitive performance.[/p] According to Fogel, a potential explanation rests in the fact that talk shows and soap operas involve so-called "parasocial relationships," where viewers feel a connection to a show's characters or host. Such shows may, for instance, be better able to hold the attention of older women with some cognitive impairment.[/p] "This doesn't mean 'Oprah' is bad for you," Fogel said. However, an older woman's fondness for the show could signal a possible problem, according to the researcher.[/p] Asking patients about TV viewing and other daily activities could be "very useful" in assessing their cognitive health, according to Dr. Joe Verghese of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.[/p] But it's not time to toss the remote control, he writes in an accompanying editorial. Some programs, Verghese notes, might actually benefit intellectual functioning, and TV watching can help some people manage their stress levels.[/p] SOURCE: Southern Medical Journal, March 2006.
vny!://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060320/hl_nm/daytime_tv_dc_1
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TehBorken wrote:
That doesn't mean that daytime television is a brain drain, they say, since it's not clear that there's a direct relationship between the two.
Sheesh, what more do they need, a map?
No intellectual stimulation=no brain cells a firin'
I watch Jerry Springer/Maury every now and then just to see the peoples' reaction. Yesterday, they caught some disabled guy (with no lower body = no penis) in bed with this guy's girlfriend! ... even I was shocked.
Of course there's always the possibility that people already possessing the lack of these skills are satisfied with these shows BECAUSE they lack certain skills. The study would have had to include testing on these same women BEFORE they started watching them, and then again after a set period of time.
Like most studies, they always fall short of gathering ALL the criteria before they can make a sensible conclusion. What else do these women do with their time.....do they read ? and if so, what are they reading. Harlequin Romances or The Iliad ???? Are they invovled with their community....do they work in the garden or do crossword puzzles ???? Pretty flimsy study IMHO.
Test results can be led in any direction with absolute accuracy simply by structuring the questions accordingly or omitting questions that could paint a bigger picture.
99% of tv will rot a persons brain, day or night. 1% may actually teach a person something.
I agree with that CK. Not to mention the time it takes away from everything else. I don't watch too much TV....and yet it's on many days it's almost from dawn to dusk. Hubby watches to news in the morning, and it's still on the news channel when he gets home....lol.
I am guilty too, I watch too much TV. But over time I learned to turn it off too. Enjoy other activities.
The thing is, I DON'T watch it.....the blasted thing is just ON. I'll even pop in a CD to listen to, and I STILL don't turn it off. It's a stupid little habit to simply not just switch it off.....LOL. I think it's some warped form of company or motion in the house when I'm here all day.
My 2 guilty pleasures are The Apprentice and Boston Legal. Other than that it's news or any program about animals and nature. (when hubby's not watching sports) heeheeee.
I was mentioning yesterday, I am finding Bob the Builder is pretty intriguing. So patient and smart. Helps anyone too without question!
It doesn't surprise me. A different epidemiological study showed lower average cognitive function associated with Bush supporters.
I hardly ever watch TV....not enough time, not enough interest. I have a big ol' LCD TV but about the only thing I ever watch are movies on DVD. It's still a "[a href="vny!://janda.org/b20/News%20articles/vastwastland.htm"]vast wasteland[/a]", as Newton Minnow, Chairman of the FCC, observed back in 1961.
Soap Opera's bore me anyway.
I just watch CNN during the day.
What I find most depressing is how previously respectable channels like the Learning Channel and A&E have moved steadily towards a diet of reality shows and whatnot. It's all about the benjis, and Americans are just not that interested in learning. They'de rather be spoon fed pabulum (//vny!://discoverseattle.net/forums/richedit/smileys/Sad/10.gif)
Even the popular "science" shows really have very little to do with science. Sorry, but watching someone blow up a TV or see how long they can dogpaddle unprotected in freezing water isn't "science" unless they bother to effectively explain the principles at work, which generally speaking they don't even attempt, or if they do attempt it, they do a shitty job. Again, it's because Americans are mentally lazy and prefer to veg out rather than be challenged by television.
I know this sounds pretty judgemental, but I think I have a right to be upset because the choices of others are limiting my own choices. Even the niche TV channels have decided to target the lowest common denominator, and the rest of us are just shit out of luck. I've pretty much given up on TV completely, since finding something worth watching is such a damn chore.
I think my one guilty pleasure would be Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Apart from that it's just the news and weather. I'm getting much more enjoyment from my computer than I ever did with TV.
I like the National Geographic channel. Especially if they do something about the Canadian wild.
oh, that reminds me my favourite adventure wild show is that show "Wild America." Its this guy narrorating about animals in the wild. Completely fascinating!
Not big on team sports besides hockey...I like HNIC!
Sportsdude, I agree 100%! A lot of the nature shows are still decent and I enjoy them as well.
And Kitten, you're right about the Internet. It isn't that the Internet is on average better then TV, because as we all know it's chock full of utter garbage. I think the difference is that the Internet isn't completely controlled by corporations, so if you know how to research, you can find interesting content no matter what your particular interest. A Web site doesn't have to cater to the ignorant masses just to stay "on the air", which is I think the greatest thing about the Net.
Although I must admit I do love Mythbusters on Discovery Channel.
Here's the show I was talking about its a must watch show for any nature loving person.
[A href="vny!://www.wildamerica.com/"]vny!://www.wildamerica.com/[/A]
Mythbusters is a great idea, and pretty entertaining, but is exactly what I mean about not seriously going into the science. They're pretty sloppy IMO. But I understand why; they're terribly afraid of being boring.
This is the most depressing thing about American TV; it's feverish, single-minded focus on short-term ratings. They would rather go with a tried and true recipe for mediocrity than give a great show (like Firefly, Arrested Development, Wonderfalls etc.) a decent chance to succeed.
Well my favourite reality based tv show isn't made by americans. On the BBC in the morning at 6am ct there is this show called location. Its two realitors helping out a couple find a home in Britian. But the show ends up becoming sort of a travel show because they do indepth on the city they are covering. For example, 2 weeks ago they helped a family try to get a house in Bath, England. Bath was built by the romans and is a world heritage site. The place is freakin awesome. Anyway what I'm getting to is that reality television can break its fakeness but it seems that is not the case usually.
Yeah, you've got a point.
There's nothing wrong with the concept of reality TV. It's just how it tends to be carried out, especially in the states. Again, the problem isn't that some poeple choose to pollute their brains with a steady diet of mental junk food. The problem is that there are so many of those folks that challenging shows get canned right off the bat far too often. It's really heartbreaking sometimes...
I'm a big fan of british TV as well. Especially the comedy. Then again, I'm sure it's usually the winners that make it over here to the states (public TV usually) and I don't get to see all the misses that british viewers are subjected to.
Yeah I must admit I watch footballer wive$ and Little Britian.
Little Britain is FANTASTIC!!
I just hope they don't fall into the old trap of getting lazy and doing variations of the same sketch over and over...
One reason I loved Mr. Show was that they made a commitment to never re-use a character. It was hell on the comedy writers, but kept them on their toes!
a lot of time I turn on TV and I admit, I need junk food for the brain. I like reruns of SCTV and kids in the hall. Chapelle's show rocks too...well the 2 seasons do anyways.
Nothing is worse than Japanese television. The same celebrities are sampling food and almost always say "umai/oishii!" (tastes good). They also have a version of who wants to be a millionaire, (and other American game shows) but when they come up with their own game show, the result is absolutely dreadful. Although Takeshi's Castle (MXC) was pretty entertaining.
What??? Kids in the Hall and Chapelle's show are NOTT (!!!!) junk food for the brain!!
Don't get me wrong, a show doesn't have to be serious to be worthwhile. Shows like that IMO are challenging and creative. Their refusal to follow the "rules" is what made them great!
As far as Takeshi's Castle. I have yet to see the original show in Japanese, but I've seen plenty of screen shots...enough to be thoroughly disgusted. I wonder if they have it at Netflix!!!
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Japanese game shows like Teh Castle are both worse and better than their American counterparts. I mean, they take humiliation and horror to the next level, but honestly I'd rather watch someone being sexually assaulted by a dog than ever watch another episode of Real World.