Sanskrit Learning Increases Brain Size, Memory Cognition

Sanskrit is an ancient language and there are two versions of Sanskrit.
One is the Vedic Sanskrit and another, Earlier Sanskrit.

Sanskrit is found to be most compatible language for Computer.

Sanskrit roots are found in words in world languages.

Sanskrit ,though currently dated around 5000 years ago,is much older as the sunken city of Poompuhar,a port of Tamils,in Tamil Nadu is dated around 11,000 ago and Silappadikaram,one of the five Epics of Tamil Language quotes Vedas.

And the remains of a Million year old Tamil site is found near Chennai .

The earliest Tamil Grammar work available,Tholkaapiyam, mentions Sanskrit.

It is of interest to note that such an ancient language, Sanskrit, transmitted and is still transmitting it’s Religious texts only by Oral Tradition!

Learning of Sanskrit normally begins at the age of Five.

The texts are learned by repetition.
Many methods are adopted.

One such method is ‘Gana Paada’
In this process, one word is repeated again and again, and this word is recited along with the second word,then with the third word and this process is ealled Ganapaadan with the third word and this process is called Ganapaada.

For details please read my article on Veda learning.
Now research has been carried out on this method of learning in Sanskrit.
It is found that Sanskrit learning by this method expands brain,improves memory and results in better Cognitive Functions.

‘Abstract

We studied a group of verbal memory specialists to determine whether intensive oral text memory is associated with structural features of hippocampal and lateral-temporal regions implicated in language processing. Professional Vedic Sanskrit Pandits in India train from childhood for around 10years in an ancient, formalized tradition of oral Sanskrit text memorization and recitation, mastering the exact pronunciation and invariant content of multiple 40,000-100,000 word oral texts. We conducted structural analysis of gray matter density, cortical thickness, local gyrification, and white matter structure, relative to matched controls. We found massive gray matter density and cortical thickness increases in Pandit brains in language, memory and visual systems, including i) bilateral lateral temporal cortices and ii) the anterior cingulate cortex and the hippocampus, regions associated with long and short-term memory. Differences in hippocampal morphometry matched those previously documented for expert spatial navigators and individuals with good verbal working memory. The findings provide unique insight into the brain organization implementing formalized oral knowledge systems.

Source.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/26188261/
Visit the link to download report.

Citation.

Authors

Hartzell JF¹, Davis B², Melcher D², Miceli G², Jovicich J², Nath T³, Singh NC³, Hasson U².

Author information

1

Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, 38060, Italy. Electronic address: James.Hartzell@unitn.it.

2

Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, 38060, Italy.

3

National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, Gurgaon Dist., Haryana 122 050, India.

Citation

Neuroimage. 2016 May 1;131:181-92. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.07.027. Epub 2015 Jul 15.