r/science Oct 09 '24

Neuroscience Your Brain Changes Based on What You Did Two Weeks Ago | A workout or restless night from two weeks ago could still be affecting you—positively or negatively—today.

https://www.newsweek.com/brain-changes-neuroscience-exercise-sleep-health-two-weeks-1965107
27.0k Upvotes

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901

u/ijustsailedaway Oct 09 '24

Humans would be so much better off if we immediately felt the results of good or bad things we did.

375

u/Simple_Little_Boy Oct 09 '24 edited Oct 09 '24

This study is kind of ridiculous and reasons why I hate articles like this. It was just 1 person they analyzed for 133 days. There was no traditional control in this study no comparison.

While it’s great to do the research, to make conclusions off such a ridiculously low sample, low tenure study is insane. You all need to read the studies these articles talk about and see how they came up with these conclusions before taking it to heart.

74

u/ActivisionBlizzard Oct 09 '24

Yup, this is how you get a conclusion like “100% of study participants stubbed their toe two weeks after eating a bunch of grapes”.

13

u/JamesLiptonIcedTea Oct 09 '24

Reminds me of a line from Family Guy:

"Ohh no, Lois. A guy at work bought a car outta the paper. Ten years later? BAM! Herpes.

8

u/NSAevidence Oct 09 '24

I typically look for comments like this that mention a few details so I can determine if the article is worth the read, so thank you for your service.

1

u/hansieboy10 Oct 09 '24

1 person? Lolol.

1

u/EVILEMRE Oct 09 '24

This is why I had to stop reading Men’s Health Magazine. It was turning me into a hypochondriac. Every non scientific “study” was triggering. I need to take this supplement and do this exercise or I’m going to die young and ugly.

1

u/Evening_Jury_5524 Oct 09 '24

They didn't make a conclusion. It's just said that it 'could' effect you, what you're talking about is the next step- controlling for variable to determine if its true and by how much

10

u/Simple_Little_Boy Oct 09 '24

Look at the article title, it is making a conclusion. Not talking about the study here for that specific context.

-1

u/Evening_Jury_5524 Oct 09 '24

The title is sensationalized as many are, bht the rest of the ppst title (which is the first sentence) makes clear that it merely 'suggests' that it 'could'. This is am issue of clickbait, not a study making a baseless capitcal C Conclusion (just a baseless title claim)

88

u/Taken450 Oct 09 '24

Some things we do :P

69

u/Lass_Es_Sein Oct 09 '24

For other it takes 9 months

8

u/Sad-Inevitable4165 Oct 09 '24

Some choose not to

7

u/Taken450 Oct 09 '24

What like priests? Are we talking about the same thing?

42

u/EstablishmentLate532 Oct 09 '24

You should hire someone to follow you around with one of those dog clicker things and some treats, then. Have the person reward you every time you do something good, and condition yourself to do good things.

6

u/alienpirate5 Oct 09 '24

It works so well, they use it to train surgeons!

1

u/NoamLigotti Oct 10 '24

I couldn't tell what they used for positive reinforcement. Do you know?

1

u/alienpirate5 Oct 10 '24

They didn't use positive reinforcement, just an operant stimulus.

1

u/NoamLigotti Oct 10 '24

Wouldn't that have to be paired with reinforcement (or else punishment) to make it operant?

15

u/datboydoe Oct 09 '24

Ikr? There was one time I put my hand on a hot stove, and got nothing. Then like 13 days later, I’m standing in line at grocery store and am like, “shitttt!!!”. Made lady behind me drop her eggs.

1

u/Wastawiii Oct 09 '24

I think the only way to do that is to lose human intelligence. 

2

u/ijustsailedaway Oct 09 '24

Not necessarily. We just need to evolve to connect logic and emotion more closely. Logically I am well aware eating pizza and drinking wine is bad for me but that immediate dopamine hit overpowers knowledge of long term consequences.