Flash as a Rat With a Baby Bonus

Recently there was this ABC News article 'Baby Brain' Myth Debunked .

In and of itself, the study is not particularly ground-breaking. It found that cognitive function in mothers aged between 20 and 24 didn't decline during pregnancy in the 2,500 women they studied. I don't know if that's here or there. So many people report it being something of a phenomenon (say it like you're singing 'White Lines', it's more fun that way) that I would like to see other methods of measurement looked at before we write the whole thing off.

Anyway, that isn't what captured my attention.

"Rodent data shows that mother rats have improved multi-skilling capacity and less fear responses than non-mothers."

Rodent data. Multi-skilling rats. What the hell is going on up there? How do you measure a multi-skilled rat? See if she can still read whilst doing a black diamond ski run? A super rat demonstrated that it was capable of breast feeding and filling out questionnaires whilst riding a bus to work?

And, what was illuminated by doing this study anyway? The question was "Are people a bit more vague when they are pregnant?" Who cares? What would you do to stop it if they were? If you were building another human being, wouldn't you be a bit distracted? It's just stoopit is what it is.

Ahh I'm sorry. I'm just a bit bad tempered... could be the hormones.