Want to boost brain connectivity? Then write by hand instead of typing on a keyboard, suggests a study. Using a keyboard is recommended because it`s often faster than writing by hand. However, the latter has been found to improve spelling accuracy and memory recall. To find out if the process of forming letters by hand resulted in greater brain connectivity, researchers in Norway now investigated the underlying neural networks involved in both modes of writing.

"We show that when writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns are far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard," said Prof Audrey van der Meer, a brain researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. "Such widespread brain connectivity is known to be crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and, therefore, is beneficial for learning," van der Meer said.