Researchers have long argued that the human brain is not designed for multitasking, but new research challenges that assertion.
Experts have previously explained that when we think we're multitasking, we're actually just rapidly switching between tasks. This happens because the area of the brain responsible for thinking, the prefrontal cortex, can only process one task at a time.
However, new research has shown that over time, another area of the brain responsible for memory also plays a role. When people were required to perform image sorting tests over several weeks, the tests first activated the prefrontal cortex, followed by the temporal cortex.
Over time, the brain rewires itself, explained Maximilian Riesenhuber, professor of neuroscience at Georgetown University School of Medicine, in a statement. The prefrontal cortex hands over responsibility to the temporal cortex, freeing it up for "whatever else you want to do, increasing your capabilities.".
«"We've shown that neural connections change in such a way that the brain can perform two tasks simultaneously," he said. "This is true multitasking.".
A new study challenges the long-held belief that the human brain is not designed for multitasking. Brain scans show this ability improves with practice (AFP via Getty Images).
The researchers wanted to understand why people need to concentrate when first learning a task, as well as why they can simultaneously perform other tasks as they gain experience. For example, experienced drivers are able to listen to music and simultaneously carry on a conversation.
In a small study, men and women were trained to sort altered images of cars into two categories using an image sorting app, completing more than 30,000 tasks over 5-10 weeks.
The researchers scanned the participants' brains before and after the experiments, revealing any changes that had occurred.
«"Previous studies have shown that parts of the temporal cortex can be activated by specific object categories in experienced observers—birds, cars, even Pokémon—but a limitation of all these studies is that they were conducted only after people had become experts. The strength of this study lies in its longitudinal nature: we measured before and after training, so we can see that intensive training has essentially created a region in the temporal lobe that selectively responds to certain object categories that wasn't there before," said Patrick Cox, an associate professor of psychology at Lehigh University.
Interestingly, some people's brains were better suited to multitasking than others, Riesenhuber told NBC News.
It's unclear why. However, as Brown University Medical Center notes, multitasking is linked to stress and other mental health issues. Therefore, experts believe it may actually reduce productivity.
«"This raises a whole new set of questions," he said. "What's causing this variability? We don't know yet.".
Some people's brains are naturally better at distributing responsibility between the two areas than others. It's not yet clear why (Getty Images).
According to the researchers, the findings have important implications for understanding compulsive behavior. They also help explain why people are good at continuous learning.
As the researchers note, artificial intelligence still struggles with this, and the results of the study could be used to more effectively train generative AI.
The next step for scientists, however, will be to study the underlying process: how learning is transferred from one part of the brain to another.
Also, what do they think are the limits of multitasking?
«"Another really interesting question is what kinds of tasks can be learned well enough to be done in parallel," Cox said.
«"We can walk and chew gum at the same time, but looking at our phone to text while driving is never safe because we're distracted from the road. It all comes down to training completely separate neural circuits to perform the two tasks so they become compatible," he added.