Uncommon features of Einstein’s brain might explain his remarkable cognitive abilities
November 23, 2012
Photograph of the left lateral surface of Einstein’s brain, showing unusually expanded primary somatosensory and primary motor cortices, and unusually convoluted surface of the pars triangularis (part of Broca’s speech area) and the frontal polar region credit: National Museum of Health and Medicine)
Portions of Albert Einstein’s brain have been found to be unlike those of most people and could be related to his extraordinary cognitive abilities, according to a new study led by Florida State University evolutionary anthropologist Dean Falk.
Falk and colleagues examined the entire cerebral cortex of Einstein’s brain based on 14 recently discovered photographs. The researchers compared Einstein’s brain to 85 “normal” human brains and, in light of current functional MRI imaging studies, interpreted its unusual features.
“Although the overall size and asymmetrical shape of Einstein’s brain were normal, the prefrontal, somatosensory, primary motor, parietal, temporal and occipital cortices were extraordinary,” said Falk, the Hale G. Smith Professor of Anthropology at Florida State.
“These may have provided the neurological underpinnings for some of his visuospatial and mathematical abilities, for instance.”
Upon Einstein’s death in 1955, his brain was removed and photographed from multiple angles with the permission of his family. Furthermore, it was sectioned into 240 blocks from which histological slides were prepared. Unfortunately, a great majority of the photographs, blocks and slides were lost from public sight for more than 55 years. The 14 photographs used by the researchers now are held by the National Museum of Health and Medicine.
Einstein’s thought experiments
The open-access paper also publishes the “roadmap” to Einstein’s brain prepared in 1955 by Dr. Thomas Harvey to illustrate the locations within Einstein’s previously whole brain of 240 dissected blocks of tissue, which provides a key to locating the origins within the brain of the newly emerged histological slides.
“Our results also suggest that Einstein had relatively expanded prefrontal cortices, which may have provided underpinnings for some of his extraordinary cognitive abilities, including his productive use of thought experiments,” the paper states.
“From an evolutionary perspective, the specific parts of Einstein’s prefrontal cortex that appear to be differentially expanded are of interest because recent findings indicate that these same areas increased differentially in size and became neurologically reorganized at microanatomical levels during hominin evolution in association with the emergence of higher cognitive abilities.”
Comments (41)
by GatorALLin
http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c2#/video/bestoftv/2012/11/29/ac-gupta-albert-einstein-brain.cnn
by Kris Knight
Wonder what our comments would be here if we had read Kurzweil’s new book…….HOW TO CREATE A MIND. The plasticity of the brain is a key factor here and the person who theorized that perhaps his brain was as it as at autopsy BECAUSE of the way he moved through his life might be the most accurate………
by Percival
The “Einstein is the definitive Genius” bandwagon has been rolling long enough. It was really unnecessary for this blog to jump on as well. By all accounts Einstein was a modestly gifted man who worked passionately and with great originality in his field, AND AT A CRITICAL TIME. That does not make him a genius, not with the likes of contemporaries of von Neumann’s stature for instance. Take a look at any child prodigy, and I think it will become clear that Einstein was closer to ordinary than to extraordinary.
by Michael
You’re kidding, right?
by Walter
Einstein’s brilliance was the result of a brain anomaly. Most geniuses are abnormals.
by Mr.X
@Walter: Reading your comments I know where you’re from, and have an idea of your age.If I am right, this implicates you don’t think that much for yourself.
Maybe you should start thinking instead of just parroting what some non-geniuses claim.
If I’m wrong: Nothing new happened^^
Ps: One of the reasons I’d contemplate emmigration to some nice place, like the moon.
by Enigma8
“The search for truth is more precious than its possession.” – Albert Einstein
Wouldn’t the possession of truth be more precious? If you are constantly searching for truth, that means you do not possess much of it.
Einstein was not a genius; his brain was exactly like yours.
by Vin
Possession of truth can only ever be an assumption when searchers discover there is no absolute frame of reference.
by Christian Gehman
?? …. during hominid evolution” (not “hominin” evolution) …
by Rick Thurman
Are you sure? Hominin can refer to all the Hominidae/ great apes (human, chimp, gorilla, and orangutans) but without the orangs. Hominid, it appears, can currently refer to either the Hominidae as above, or the set of species more closely related to modern humans than chimps (ie, extinct species including Neanderthal, Erectus, etc.). Not sure exactly which mutations they have in mind, but the (free pdf) article does refer to a previous source article (Semendeferi K,, et al. Spatial organization of neurons in the frontal pole sets humans apart from great apes. Cereb Cortex 2011; 21: 1485–97.), which presumably would clear that up.
by eldras
The important thing is einstein’s work
by Christian Gehman
The work – that’s the first importance. But for future generations, how he did the work (produced the thoughts) may be more important. Form and function are interdependent.
by Mr.X
@Eldras:
“The important thing is einstein’s work”
I think this is a very shortsighted view.If we’d think more along the lines of Christian’s comment, how knows how many more works from other people we’d have about which you could say the same thing!?
by eldras
I’ve looked @ his brain for some years. The myolin sheaths were thicker as well.
But IMO his intellectual effort affected his brain.
by GatorALLin
…I like the last one…
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” – Albert Einstein
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” – Albert Einstein
“Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.” – Albert Einstein
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” – Albert Einstein
“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” – Albert Einstein
“The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.” – Albert Einstein
“People like you and I, though mortal of course like everyone else, do not grow old no matter how long we live…[We] never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born.” – Albert Einstein in a letter to Otto Juliusburger;
“The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.” – Albert Einstein
“Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.” – Albert Einstein
“We have to do the best we can. This is our sacred human responsibility.” – Albert Einstein
“Where there is love there is no question.” – Albert Einstein
“I think and think for months and years, ninety-nine times, the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right.” – Albert Einstein
“The pioneers of a warless world are the youth who refuse military service.” – Albert Einstein
“The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives.” – Albert Einstein
“Those instrumental goods which should serve to maintain the life and health of all human beings should be produced by the least possible labour of all.” – Albert Einstein
“The search for truth is more precious than its possession.” – Albert Einstein
“Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.” – Albert Einstein
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” – Albert Einstein
“Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.” – Albert Einstein
“Isn’t it strange that I who have written only unpopular books should be such a popular fellow?” – Albert Einstein
“He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.” – Albert Einstein
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein
“I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.” – Albert Einstein
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.” – Albert Einstein
“I have deep faith that the principle of the universe will be beautiful and simple.” – Albert Einstein
“Truth is what stands the test of experience.” – Albert Einstein
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” – Albert Einstein
“Quantum mechanics is very impressive. But an inner voice tells me that it is not yet the real thing. The theory yields a lot, but it hardly brings us any closer to the secret of the Old One. In any case I am convinced that He doesn’t play dice.” – Albert Einstein
“Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocre minds. The latter cannot understand it when a [person] does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses their intelligence.” – Albert Einstein
“How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose we know not, though sometimes sense it. But we know from daily life that we exist for other people first of all for whose smiles and well-being our own happiness depends.” – Albert Einstein
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein
“To get to know a country, you must have direct contact with the earth. It’s futile to gaze at the world through a car window.” – Albert Einstein
“I love to travel, But hate to arrive.” – Albert Einstein
“Politics is more difficult than physics.” – Albert Einstein
“I hate crowds and making speeches. I hate facing cameras and having to answer to a crossfire of questions. Why popular fancy should seize upon me, a scientist, dealing in abstract things and happy if left alone, is a manifestation of mass psychology that is beyond me.” – Albert Einstein
“I am neither especially clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious.” – Albert Einstein
by Allen Esterson
“…I like the last one…”
Several of these “quotations” are spurious – most notably the last one.
by Allen Esterson
I made a mistake in my previous response. I meant to pick out this one as notably spurious: ““The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.”
As for the last one, very bright people think may well think it is the natural state, so are not necessarily authorities on their own exceptional talents. A look through the kinds of material in the important papers he has authored contradicts any notion that he was not especially gifted in physics.
by Cole Vincent Hutchinson the 1st
I am convinced that I am God Bred. Without drugs, I use over 50% of my brain regularly.. My communication skills are far greater than anyone I’ve ever heard; the only one who can compare wrote a book about Ho’ohponopono. The “Secret,” changed my life, along with poisonous K2. I’ve seen the devil twice, and I can call God through my prayers. I have the maps for everything: my prediction skills exceed that of the Mayan generation. I know true happiness, and true appreciation, and true friendship, and true love. Wisdom came with truth, after I licked a bag full of acid. I know what is faster than light. I can only sing for my supper. I walk 40 miles a day. I love everyone, as much as I can, for that attitude yields the best mutual beneficialism. I feel remorse when I steal, for something greater has been stolen from me. The day of reckoning is before us, the ones who judge so openly will be the first who get judged. The heaven is all around, it takes a genius to notice it. Money can buy happiness, it is the ones who build their money in a pot without sharing who need the most help. I got kicked out of my Pennsylvania log cabin home yesterday, and all I needed to be happy were the basics — a blanket and a dog bed — the plant that is my best friend, one who I can always rely on to make me feel better no matter what — and a grain of alcohol, so I can let emotions flow from my mind to my body to the universe. The stars have aligned, God speaks through coded encryptions, The Great Being can manifest inside of everything that catches your own eye. Including your eye. I study neurology, telecommunications, and hypnotic music and light therapy.. I am the happiest being alive, during my most saddening times. My mind is compete, in the zen of life, and I understand all that happens and why it happens near instantly after it has happened. I predict that I will be ridiculed by the ones filled with doubt. The only thing stopping anyone from getting where they want to go, is the mindset that they won’t be accepted once they get there. A high priest has called me an angel. Jesus was a man in his time, I am Cole of this time. I do not claim to be the king of anything, yet. I have wandered into the most scariest of places, surrounded by darkness and creatures of the fright. Here is where I found God.
by Alex Moss
Acid you say?
by Dipntus
“I use over 50% of my brain regularly”
…so does everyone else, genius. You study neurology you said?
by Davide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_percent_of_brain_myth
I think this might clarify a few things for you.
by Bliss
I once read, that when Einstein’s brain was removed, the surgeons were shocked to find an unusually thick layer of ‘fat’ covering it.
This fat was removed to expose the brain tissue (that we see in the photo)
That ‘fat’ was almost certainly myelin.
by Beatriz Valdes
Another conclusion we could reach from the “abnormalities” detected in Einsteins´s brain is that our own grey matter is probably evolutioning that way, and more and more gifted humans will be showing up.
by MechanicGuy
According to wikipedia, IQ is a fixed parameter. That’s a myth.
I believe that a lot of people who scored low in IQ tests could have done much better if they had put themselves in prime mode.
Actually, one can find IQ test books in bookstores and libraries. Some of the problems in these books are actually knowledge/vocabulary tests, not the supposed “knowledge-acquiring ability” tests.
by Bri
My father has a high IQ yet he couldnt plug in a VCR.
by Bri
Einstien was a bit of a stumble bum. His father thought he was a failure. In one of Einstien’s letters, he was soupset with his lack of success that he alluded to suicide. He had trouble with the math. He almost lost the chance for the Noble prize, because he started telling everyone about his theories, before he had worked out the math. Another famous mathematician worked out the math at almost the same time that Einstien succeeded. Fortunately he was gracious and said that Einstien deserved the credit. One of the only reasons that he did succeed is that he put everything into it. He would sleep in his chair at his office and struggled very hard to achieve his goal. It’s more that he was an odd duck who daydreamed about unusual ideas. His understanding of time and space happened in a flash while daydreaming his favorite daydream. What would it be like to move at the speed of light. It was very hard for him to take that insight and figure out the math required.
by Dr.Pratt
Bri: I have studied Einsteins life thoroughly and you are full of crap. Einstein did all of the Math and no one else did it for him. HIs old friend took physics notes for him in his university years, And his favorite day dream was something he took up as a teen ager, traveling at the speed of light. As far as the brain goes, I agree with Bernard, we need to prove what came first, the form or the work.
by Mr.X
I completely agree with Dr.Pratt.
Afaik Einstein visualized things with his famous “thought-experiments”, and then later used the language of math to formalize what he has found.He wasn’t the first to do it that way.Of course, this is a gross oversimplification.
But I ask myself: Why do so many people prefer the idea of him being “genetically” superior in certain areas!? Maybe as a form of excuse for not achieving anything themselves?
@Bri: It’s EinstEIn ;)
“One of the only” makes no sense.
Did anyone achieve anything worthwhile (in the larger scheme of things) without straining at least a bit!?
About math: As far as I know he was really talented at maths, his teacher bought him an advanced maths book and send him away from school at a rather young age because he couldn’t teach him anything he didn’t already know.
I guess he knew his math back then.At least better than the two of us, I guess^^
by Bri
I never said that Einstien didn’t do his math. I don’t remember the mathematician who almost stole Einstiens work, but I will look it up. Mathematics wasn’t his strong point. The daydreaming of what it was to travel at the speed of light, was one of his mind experiments. He did it for years till the answer struck him while riding on a trolly. Sorry that you feel the need to be insulting. I admire Einstien. He almost failed but percervered. The job of patent clerk was a lowly job. It did give him time to explore his insights. From that he wrote his first papers. They caught the achedemic world by surprise. He had been unknown and felt like a failure. I’ll get back to you on the mathematician who had heard him lecture and almost stole his credit. My point was that Einstien was persistent. There is a quote above where he say’s that he thought of many ideas and most were wrong. If someone were to judge him before his great successes they would have had a totally different opinion of him. From this I come to the conclusion that you shouldn’t judge people by their failures but by their successes. His theories are some of the most important insights of our time and they came close to not happening at all. His determination won the day.
by Mr.X
“If someone were to judge him before his great successes they would have had a totally different opinion of him.”
Tell me one person where this isn’t the case.Just one.
It seems you like “magical thinking”.
Ps: It’s Einstein.
by EmpyCee
“he was really talented at maths [sic], his teacher bought him an advanced maths [sic] book and send [sic] him away”
X marks the spot.
by cameronarndt
How long before we can catalog all the positive adaptations that we have recorded in different vocations and encourage “normal” minds to reorganize themselves into the best patterns we have seen.
by Bernard
Perhaps the cart is being put before the horse here. Studies done on London taxi drivers showed that the part of their brains dealing with orientation were more developed than the average persons. Maybe Einstein expanded the requisite parts of his brain through hard work and fanatical dedication to the pursuit of his ideas.
by Editor
Interesting point.
by melajara
On the other hand, one could argue that taxi drivers from London “chose” to become taxi drivers in London because they had more facility in orienting themselves than the average Joe.
To settle the matter, one really needs a longitudinal study. With MRI scan techniques, this would be easy now. But we need to wait for 30+ years to know the result. Besides, I suspect a lot of taxi drivers are already using GPS and, anyway, in 30 years it could be difficult to pinpoint any remaining HUMAN taxi driver in London ;-)
by Bernard
They also chose to spend several years riding around London on their bikes acquiring “the knowledge” before they did the exam for their licence and had an average of around thirty years experience when they were PET scanned.
by Wanderer
I think this is incorrect. There were 79 aspiring taxi drivers and 31 control group at the beginning of the 4 years who were given MRIs and the hippocampus looked very similar. At the end of the 4 years of training The 39 that passed the exam had larger hippo campuses than all others. There’s a good scientific American article that you can read.
by Wanderer
If you look at the study the brain scans were taken before and after their taxi driving experience. The related Part of the hippocampus became larger as their experience grew.
by Christian Gehman
He thought a lot, so his brain got brain increased in functionality? This might perhaps account for writers doing their best work as they approach age 50. … Writing takes a lot of cogitation ….
by Gorden Russell
Next, somebody needs to sequence his genome so we can snip out the genes that gave him his cognitive abilities and turn loose some baby Einsteins.
by GatorALLin
….. sounds like a great idea…. If the cost is coming down to $1,000 and you had a sample you could test with… I bet these guys would do it for free http://www.iontorrent.com/ (also wish that before they cut the brain up they could have imaged it). I am wondering how much was nature vs. nurture? He was a patent clerk and you have to really understand how things work to do that job well, so maybe that says a lot.