Do Habitual Naps Mean a Bigger Brain?
A genetic study of UK Biobank volunteers asks whether a napping habit actually changes the brain. The answer is a small yes for brain size, and a no for memory.
In one paragraph
Using Mendelian randomization on UK Biobank data, the authors found that a genetic tendency to nap was linked to a slightly larger total brain volume, about 15.8 cubic centimeters, which they liken to 2.6 to 6.5 years of brain aging. There was no link with the hippocampus, reaction time or visual memory, and the confidence interval was wide. This episode covers the clever method, the numbers and the fine print.
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