Question

Taxi drivers in London have to memorize about three hundred twenty routes and streets. Why do London taxi drivers have larger hippocampuses?

a) Due to their extensive training and knowledge
b) Genetic predisposition
c) Frequent exposure to environmental toxins
d) Lack of exercise

Answer 1

London taxi drivers have larger hippocampuses mainly due to their extensive training in memorizing numerous routes and streets, as the hippocampus is involved in navigation and memory.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks why London taxi drivers have larger hippocampuses. The correct answer to this is that London taxi drivers often possess larger hippocampuses due to their extensive training and knowledge. This region of the brain is associated with navigation and memory. Studies have found that taxi drivers who undergo rigorous training to memorize hundreds of routes and streets, as required by The Knowledge test in London, tend to have a larger hippocampus. It's thought that the mental exercise of learning and navigating complex routes may encourage the growth and strengthening of neural connections within the hippocampus.