Have you ever wondered why some people get over an argument quickly while others remain in a bad mood for days? According to a report in the journal Biological Psychiatry, scientists at Harvard University have discovered that the qualities required to bounce back after a disagreement are controlled in the very front of the brain (known as the prefrontal cortex) right behind the forehead.

On examination, they found that those whose prefrontal cortex was the most active were the ones most likely to forgive and forget. They were also less likely to replay the argument over and over in their heads or seek solace in alcohol.

How do you activate your prefrontal cortex? Amazingly enough, the scientists suggest that putting your mind to crosswords, sudoku or other puzzles can actually incline you to kiss and make up. So while chocolates and flowers are the traditional ways for couples to make up after a row, maybe doing a crossword together would produce a better result and promote harmony.

The prefrontal cortex is also responsible for mediating conflicting thoughts, making choices between right and wrong and predicting future events. It is the area that controls qualities such as general intelligence and personality.

It’s also widely believed that the size and number of connections in the prefrontal cortex relate directly to the ability to perceive and feel things, as the prefrontal cortex in humans occupies a far larger percentage of the brain than any other animal. The theory goes that as the brain has tripled in size over 5 million years of human evolution, the prefrontal cortex has increased in size sixfold.

As a puzzler, you are constantly activating your prefrontal cortex, and this may well be reflected in the way you react to the world around you. So remember to bounce back after your next altercation and don’t forget to keep puzzling, you’re doing yourself a big favour!