Maguire et al. (2000)

Maguire et al. (2000), also known as the London Taxicab Driver study, was a study that suggested that the hippocampus affects one's memory and spatial thinking ability.
== Aim ==
To investigate whether spatial memory has an effect on the physical change of the Hippocampus, and its function in spatial memory.
== Procedure ==
* Participants were 16 mentally and physically healthy right handed male taxi drivers with at least 1.5 years of experience.
* Age range from 32 to 62.
* Controls were 50 mentally and physically healthy right handed male.
* Age range and distribution was similar to the taxi drivers.
* Participants and controls were scanned with the same MRI machine (structural MRI).
* The amount and density of the grey matter in the hippocampus (which translates into the processors) was counted.
== Results ==
* Taxi drivers have a significantly larger hippocampus (limited to the posterior hippocampus bilaterally). 
* No difference in overall volume of Hippocampi. 
* The volume of the hippocampus correlates with the amount of time as a taxi driver.
== Conclusion ==
* MRI scanners can be used to detect active areas of the brain
== Evaluation ==
* Observing the concentration of deoxygenated haemoglobin is an accurate measure for brain activity.
* Participants were only right-handed males, which means the study is not easily generalizable
Category:BLOA Studies
Category:Localization of Function Studies
Category:Brain Scanning Studies