Latest news with #cognitiveDevelopment
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
What happens when you use ChatGPT to write an essay? See what new study found.
Artificial intelligence chatbots may be able to write a quick essay, but a new study from MIT found that their use comes at a cognitive cost. A study published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab analyzed the cognitive function of 54 people writing an essay with: only the assistance of OpenAI's ChatGPT; only online browsers; or no outside tools at all. Largely, the study found that those who relied solely on ChatGPT to write their essays had lower levels of brain activity and presented less original writing. "As we stand at this technological crossroads, it becomes crucial to understand the full spectrum of cognitive consequences associated with (language learning model) integration in educational and informational contexts," the study states. "While these tools offer unprecedented opportunities for enhancing learning and information access, their potential impact on cognitive development, critical thinking and intellectual independence demands a very careful consideration and continued research." Here's a deeper look at the study and how it was conducted. Terms to know: With artificial intelligence growing popular, here's what to know about how it works AI in education: How AI is affecting the way kids learn to read and write A team of MIT researchers, led by MIT Media Lab research scientist Nataliya Kosmyna, studied 54 participants between the ages of 18 and 39. Participants were recruited from MIT, Wellesley College, Harvard, Tufts University and Northeastern University. The participants were randomly split into three groups, 18 people per group. The study states that the three groups included a language learning model group, in which participants only used OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o to write their essays. The second group was limited to using only search engines for their research, and the third was prohibited from any tools. Participants in the latter group could only use their minds to write their essays. Each participant had 20 minutes to write an essay from one of three prompts taken from SAT tests, the study states. Three different options were provided to each group, totaling nine unique prompts. An example of a prompt available to participants using ChatGPT was about loyalty: "Many people believe that loyalty whether to an individual, an organization, or a nation means unconditional and unquestioning support no matter what. To these people, the withdrawal of support is by definition a betrayal of loyalty. But doesn't true loyalty sometimes require us to be critical of those we are loyal to? If we see that they are doing something that we believe is wrong, doesn't true loyalty require us to speak up, even if we must be critical? Does true loyalty require unconditional support?" As the participants wrote their essays, they were hooked up to a Neuoelectrics Enobio 32 headset, which allowed researchers to collect EEG (electroencephalogram) signals, the brain's electrical activity. Following the sessions, 18 participants returned for a fourth study group. Participants who had previously used ChatGPT to write their essays were required to use no tools and participants who had used no tools before used ChatGPT, the study states. In addition to analyzing brain activity, the researchers looked at the essays themselves. First and foremost, the essays of participants who used no tools (ChatGPT or search engines) had wider variability in both topics, words and sentence structure, the study states. On the other hand, essays written with the help of ChatGPT were more homogenous. All of the essays were "judged" by two English teachers and two AI judges trained by the researchers. The English teachers were not provided background information about the study but were able to identify essays written by AI. "These, often lengthy essays included standard ideas, reoccurring typical formulations and statements, which made the use of AI in the writing process rather obvious. We, as English teachers, perceived these essays as 'soulless,' in a way, as many sentences were empty with regard to content and essays lacked personal nuances," a statement from the teachers, included in the study, reads. As for the AI judges, a judge trained by the researchers to evaluate like the real teachers scored each of the essays, for the most part, a four or above, on a scale of five. When it came to brain activity, researchers were presented "robust" evidence that participants who used no writing tools displayed the "strongest, widest-ranging" brain activity, while those who used ChatGPT displayed the weakest. Specifically, the ChatGPT group displayed 55% reduced brain activity, the study states. And though the participants who used only search engines had less overall brain activity than those who used no tools, these participants had a higher level of eye activity than those who used ChatGPT, even though both were using a digital screen. Further research on the long-term impacts of artificial intelligence chatbots on cognitive activity is needed, the study states. As for this particular study, researchers noted that a larger number of participants from a wider geographical area would be necessary for a more successful study. Writing outside of a traditional educational environment could also provide more insight into how AI works in more generalized tasks. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Using ChatGPT to write an essay lowers brain activity: MIT study
Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Science-backed activities at this new summer camp in Dubai
The Brain Accelerator is organising its annual summer camp — a neuroscience-backed cognitive development program designed to unlock a child's learning potential. 'Unlike traditional camps that focus on recreation or tutoring that revisits academic content, our camp targets the brain's core processing systems—like attention, memory, reasoning, and speed. We use evidence-based brain training tools, games, and real-time coaching to enhance how children think, learn, and perform—both in and out of school. It's not about cramming more content, but about building the mental muscles that make learning easier and more enjoyable,' said Aalia Thobani, Founder and CEO of The Brain Accelerator. The camp is best suited for children from 4.5 years all the way up to the teenage years—a critical window when the brain is highly plastic and cognitive gains can be made efficiently. 'Whether your child is entering primary school, navigating middle school, or preparing for high school, the program is designed to meet them where they are developmentally and help them leap forward cognitively and emotionally,' she added. The camp focuses on strengthening seven key cognitive skills: • Sustained, selective, and divided attention – critical for focus in class and during homework • Working memory – essential for following instructions and understanding new concepts • Processing speed – improves how quickly children can absorb and respond to information • Visual and auditory processing – supports reading, comprehension, and classroom listening • Logic and reasoning – sharpens problem-solving and critical thinking • Long-term memory – supports learning retention • Self-regulation and executive function – helps with planning, organization, and emotional control 'When these skills are strengthened, we see improvements not just in academics but in confidence, independence, and motivation—areas that define long-term success,' Thobani said. The 8-week camp is designed to build momentum week by week, with each session targeting specific brain skills. The child will be paired with a 1-1 brain trainer, who becomes their personal coach. It is his/her job to ensure that the child is at the edge of the seat, being challenged just the right amount to keep up motivation, build resilience, and to create brain pathways for success. 1 hour will be dedicated to 1-1 protocols targeting various cognitive skills and the 2nd hour is an active digital session based on AI and targeting the processing areas specific to the child's needs. 'We keep it high-energy, hands-on, and deeply engaging. No worksheets. Just real mental work disguised as fun,' Thobani said. One of the most unique features of the Brain Accelerator Summer Camp is its dual benefit. • For children who are struggling academically—perhaps due to attention difficulties, slow processing, or weak memory—we identify and strengthen the root cause of those struggles. • For high achievers who want a mental edge, the camp helps sharpen executive function and advanced reasoning, preparing them for more complex academic demands ahead. According to the research, average improvements include: IQ gains by 21 percentile points, reading gains by 3.5 years, math concept gains by 3.2 years, and sustained attention gains by 3.2 years - in a matter of months. By the end of the camp, parents can expect to see: • Better focus and listening • Quicker mental processing • Stronger memory recall • Greater confidence and motivation to learn • Improved problem-solving and emotional regulation • Improvements in academic skills – reading, math etc., 'We measure progress through pre- and post-camp cognitive assessments, direct coach observations, and regular parent feedback. Many parents tell us they notice a transformation not only in how their child performs in school but also in how they approach challenges and self-manage at home,' Thobani said. 'The Brain Accelerator program has had a noticeably positive impact on John's cognitive and academic development. Over the course of the program, I've observed remarkable progress in his ability to process information more efficiently, maintain focus, and pay closer attention to details. These improvements have translated into better performance in the classroom, he approaches tasks with greater confidence, completes work more independently, and demonstrates a stronger understanding of new concepts. What stands out most is how the program seems to be unlocking John's potential. His enthusiasm for learning has grown, and he appears more engaged and motivated during lessons. It's clear that the targeted activities and strategies used in the program are effectively supporting the development of essential learning skills. I highly recommend the Brain Accelerator program to any student who may be experiencing difficulties with focus, processing, or general learning challenges. It has made a meaningful difference for John, and I believe it can do the same for others,' said an Inclusion Teacher, Swiss International Scientific School, Dubai.
Medscape
09-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Third Trimester Vegetable Intake May Boost Kids' Cognition
Children whose mothers consumed greater amounts of polyphenols in the last trimester of pregnancy scored significantly higher on several cognitive measures at 8 years of age than children of mothers with lower polyphenol intakes in the last trimester, according to data from a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. 'Polyphenols are nonnutritive phytochemicals present in fruits and vegetables and are linked to improved cognitive health in adults,' said presenting author Chelsey Fiecke, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, in an interview. Chelsey Fiecke, PhD Although prenatal fruit and vegetable intake has been linked to improvements in children's cognitive development, studies are needed to target critical prenatal and postnatal polyphenol exposure windows, said Fiecke. Notably, data on associations between prenatal polyphenol intake at different points during pregnancy and cognitive development in school-age children are lacking, the researchers noted. To examine these associations, Fiecke and colleagues enrolled 124 mother-child pairs at a single center. Participants were enrolled during pregnancy, and follow-up visits occurred when the children were 5 and 8 years old. Prenatal polyphenol intake was estimated on the basis of 3-day food records. Cognitive development for 62 children was based on the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence-II at 8 years of age. For 85 children, the researchers used the Wide Range Achievement Test 4 to assess reading, spelling, and math skills at ages 5 and 8 years. The researchers used linear mixed models for data available at both follow-up visits and generalized models when data were limited. They controlled for factors including maternal IQ, gestational age, and prenatal consumption of carotenoids, docosahexaenoic acid, choline, and vitamin A. Overall, the participants' average prenatal polyphenol intake was 815 mg/d. In the first trimester, greater maternal polyphenol intake was negatively associated with verbal IQ, perceptual reasoning IQ, and full-scale IQ ( P = .057, P = .020, and P = .011, respectively) in their children. Polyphenol intake during the second trimester was not significantly associated with any cognitive outcomes of offspring. However, during the third trimester, maternal polyphenol intake was positively associated with children's scores for reading, spelling, and verbal IQ ( P = .035, P = .052, and P = .067, respectively). Greater polyphenol intake was also associated with higher scores on the Similarities subtest (a verbal reasoning component of verbal IQ; P = .029). The suggestion of critical exposure windows for prenatal polyphenol intakes for optimal cognitive development was an especially interesting finding, Fiecke told Medscape Medical News . 'It suggests that polyphenols may have similar functionality to other nutrients that play roles in brain and cognitive development, such as docosahexaenoic,' she said. The results of the study need to be expanded to more diverse longitudinal cohorts, said Fiecke. In addition, research is needed to identify the extent of in utero transfer of polyphenols and to better understand how polyphenols might support optimal cognitive development during other critical exposure windows, such as the early postnatal period, she said. One Piece of the Food Puzzle 'It is well known that maternal nutrition during pregnancy has effects on both the mother and unborn child, with results implicating nutrition in overall neonatal health and newborn weight,' said Catherine Haut, DNP, CPNP-AC/PC, in an interview. The current study highlights one substance found in fruits and vegetables, polyphenol, which is also found in other substances consumed by pregnant women, notably coffee, tea, and chocolate, said Haut, director of Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice at Nemours Children's Health, Wilmington, Delaware Valley, who was not involved in the study. The effect of healthy nutrition in the last trimester of pregnancy on infant brain development and subsequent childhood cognition is not unexpected, Haut told Medscape Medical News . 'However, it would be of interest to follow children's nutritional intake of polyphenol over the same period with and without considering maternal intake,' she said. 'Maternal nutrition will most likely reflect what is then fed to their children,' she added. Takeaways and Research Gaps The study findings support the current daily nutrition guidelines for all age groups to include appropriate portions of fruits and vegetables, said Haut. The current study was limited by the focus on a single state and location, despite the longitudinal results, and the sample size was small relative to the number of children in the United States, she noted. Looking ahead to a future study, 'it would be helpful to include more diverse populations and to inquire about daily fruit and vegetable intake in children starting at 6 months of age for infants, when solid food is typically introduced,' Haut added.
