Hugo Spears
Appearances
Global News Podcast
Israel attacks Gaza in ground offensive
There's a big drive for brain health now across nations and keeping your brain active and exactly what London taxi drivers do, having gained the knowledge, is a great example of that.
Global News Podcast
Israel attacks Gaza in ground offensive
For me, as a scientist, I'd like to see it continuing to be rigorous because we're benefiting from their brains quite literally. So making it a lot easier from a scientific perspective would be a shame. On the other hand, I'm really keen to support the profession. They're absolutely amazing. the London licensed taxi drivers can do.
Global News Podcast
Israel attacks Gaza in ground offensive
And I think they're up there with the greatest sort of things in London. They're a real cultural phenomenon. I would not want to see that profession pass away. About 20 years ago, a key study discovered that there's a particular part of the brain that seems to get larger in London taxi drivers.
Global News Podcast
Israel attacks Gaza in ground offensive
There's a part of the brain called the hippocampus, which stores your sort of life's memories and allows you to help you navigate. The London taxi driver is unique in having to remember that vibe. amount of information and it seems to change part of their brain in a way that no other professions do that have been studied.
Global News Podcast
Israel attacks Gaza in ground offensive
There was some nice work done at the end of last year published showing that two professions particularly are having low incidence of deaths from Alzheimer's were taxi drivers and ambulance drivers. And considering this is sort of people dying later in life, it's probably people who spent years not using GPS to navigate, a bit like our London taxi drivers.