The brain

[Three Roses]

"Rhythm of Breathing Affects Memory and Fear"

Summary: A new study reports the rhythm of your breathing can influence neural activity that enhances memory recall and emotional judgement.

Source: Northwestern University.

Breathing is not just for oxygen; it's now linked to brain function and behavior.

Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered for the first time that the rhythm of breathing creates electrical activity in the human brain that enhances emotional judgments and memory recall.

These effects on behavior depend critically on whether you inhale or exhale and whether you breathe through the nose or mouth.

In the study, individuals were able to identify a fearful face more quickly if they encountered the face when breathing in compared to breathing out. Individuals also were more likely to remember an object if they encountered it on the inhaled breath than the exhaled one. The effect disappeared if breathing was through the mouth.

"One of the major findings in this study is that there is a dramatic difference in brain activity in the amygdala and hippocampus during inhalation compared with exhalation," said lead author Christina Zelano, assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "When you breathe in, we discovered you are stimulating neurons in the olfactory cortex, amygdala and hippocampus, all across the limbic system."

The study was published Dec. 6 in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Full article -
http://neurosciencenews.com/memory-fear-breathing-5699/

[Blueberry]

Oh, wow! Fascinating. Thanks for keeping us informed 3Roses 

[Gromit]

A yoga teacher posted this link on Facebook & I asked what happens if you hold your breath? It's something I know I do. I got some jokey comment back about Upanishads (ancient yogic text), but no explanation.

[Three Roses]

I found this about holding your breath, which apparently many of us do (I'm one) and is being given the term "email apnea"- http://www.sonima.com/fitness/email-apnea/

[Gromit]

Thanks Three Roses, although I think my yoga training has made me a horizontal breather, I know I hold my breath to concentrate, the image of an animal not wanting to be noticed by its prey is perfect.