Celebs are infesting your brain
Monday 03 November 2008
We’re all guilty of having celebs on the brain every now and then, but new research suggests the pesky stars are actually IN our brains!
Studies by Leicester University have revealed that we have individual brain cells which are conditioned to react only to images of a particular celebrity. So if like us, you're a fan of Jen, staring at the picture above will have triggered your Jennifer Aniston brain cell!
However, if you have a girly crush on Cheryl Cole, you probably have a Cheryl brain cell, which will only be stimulated by photos of her. Our brains may even begin to respond to images of celebs in the same way that we recognise family and friends, if we see photos of them enough.
The brains behind all this brain talk, neuroscientist Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, made the discovery after showing epilepsy patients pictures of famous people and landmarks and researchers hope that the findings could also lead to breakthrough treatments for epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and other serious brain conditions.
Ha! We knew our celebrity obsession would change the world some day *dances around desk*
Words by Sarah Jappy