Handwriting Increases Brain Connectivity, Study Finds

New study finds handwriting increases brain connectivity more than typing.

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Laptops and smartphones have virtually become appendages for students and working professionals. However, new research suggests we may want to take a break from all of that typing.

A recent study from Norway found that the old-school art of handwriting engages parts of the brain that tapping on a keyboard does not. The intricate movements involved in handwriting activate more regions of the brain associated with learning than typing does.

Handwriting Versus Typing

A study published in Frontiers in Psychology and led by Audrey van der Meer, a neuroscience researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, examined the differences between handwriting and typing. Ms. Van der Meer and her team analyzed the neural networks involved in both activities to uncover their respective effects on brain connectivity.