Blinking May Be Linked To Thought Process

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Clearly this is one of those studies that was designed by a scientist not happy with the status quo.

For many years most scientists have believed that we blink to lubricate our eyes. But Japanese researchers wondered if there was another reason because we seem to blink more often than that.

Why do we blink more often than is needed to just lubricate our eyes?

They have found that it may be linked to how we pay attention. Healthy patients were shown video clips from the British television comedy "Mr. Bean" and researchers looked at the areas of the brain stimulated during blinking. They found that during blinking, there is decreased activity in the attention centers of the brain, but increased activity in the areas of the brain responsible for processing.