A new study, discussed in Scientific American explains some of the positive biochemical and physiological affects of blogging.

Scientists now hope to explore the neurological underpinnings at play, especially considering the explosion of blogs. According to Alice Flaherty, a neuroscientist at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital, the placebo theory of suffering is one window through which to view blogging. As social creatures, humans have a range of pain-related behaviors, such as complaining, which acts as a “placebo for getting satisfied,” Flaherty says. Blogging about stressful experiences might work similarly.

They suggest it may stimulate dopamine release, or involve the limbic system or the front and temporal lobes.

Whatever the underlying causes may be, people coping with cancer diagnoses and other serious conditions are increasingly seeking—and finding—solace in the blogosphere. “Blogging undoubtedly affords similar benefits” to expressive writing, says Morgan, who wants to incorporate writing programs into supportive care for cancer patients.

I wonder if there’s something unique to scientific blogging that attracts a lot of scientists to it.  (just look at the activity that scienceblogs.com gets).

At any rate, now that I have the doctor’s permission to continue blogging, there’s just no stopping me.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 at 11:22 am and is filed under link out, neurobiology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.