At Eötvös Loránd University, with support from the European Union, researchers carried out a groundbreaking study to better understand how the human brain is adapting to the fast-paced, information-filled world we live in today. Using cutting-edge tools from neuroscience, psychology, and genetics, the team explored how modern life affects our minds and bodies.
Today’s world is packed with constant digital stimuli—emails, notifications, news, pictures, and noise. According to the researchers, we’re being exposed to more input than ever before in human history. This “always connected” lifestyle puts real pressure on our nervous system. The project looked at how our genes help us adjust to this new reality, how stress contributes to problems like depression and obesity, and how our brains decide what information to pay attention to and what to ignore.
The research team used a variety of methods to study how mental health issues such as anxiety, addiction, and behavioral problems can develop—and more importantly, how we might prevent them. They also looked at how our lifestyle, social environment, and physical activity affect how our brain works, and how our ability to understand numbers fits into other thinking and memory processes.
The results of the project proved to be important not only from a scientific point of view, but also helped create a modern, internationally competitive research environment and establish a high-quality research infrastructure. The findings are now part of master’s and PhD programs, and the project even created new jobs.
This research helps us better understand how our nervous system reacts to the pressures of modern life, and what strategies might help us cope. The knowledge gained doesn’t just benefit scientists—it also supports the mental health and well-being of society as a whole.
The development was implemented from EU funding in the project VEKOP-2.3.3-15-2017-00023 under the Competitive Central Hungary Operational Program.
Find out more about the project in the Project Finder:Details
