Q. I heard that Einstein's brain was not the same as most peoples' brains. Is that true? Does it mean we need to have special "spiritual" brains?
A. Yes, a study published recently in Brain, a leading journal in this area, confirmed some things, identified others that were false and had many new discoveries. The study was authored by Dean Falk of Florida State, Frederick Lepore of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Adrianne Noe of the National Museum of Health and Medicine (NMHM). The title is "The Cerebral Cortex of Albert Einstein: A Description and Preliminary Analysis of Unpublished Photographs". (This is a very "complex" neuroanatomical analysis.) The brain pics are from NMHM.
On Einstein's passing in 1955, his brain was measured, weighed and put in a preservative solution. The entire and partially-sectioned brain was photographed, and 240 sections made. The rest of Einstein (not really, it was just his body) was cremated. BTW, the autopsy report has been missing for 18 years (OK, conspiracy theorists...)
Eighteen investigators received tissue or photographs and published 6 peer-reviewed publications. DNA sequencing was performed in 1988, but was not published. Most of the microscope slides and 1/4 of the 240 sections are missing. (What???...) Most of the slides and photographs are at NMHM. Remaining sections are @ the Medical Center at Princeton; Einstein spent his last 22 years in Princeton and @ the Institute for Advanced Studies.
Einstein's brain weighed 1230 grams (2.7 lbs). The brains of 76 year-old males are about 9% less than when they were adolescents; the "age-corrected" weight would be 1352 grams (3.0 lbs). His brain size was "unexceptional" (Wittelson, et al.. Lancet, 1999). Contrary to earlier reports, Einstein's brain is not "spherical" in shape, as you can see in the pic.
There were, however, many critical differences in Einstein's brain. Comparisons are based on two studies, a) Ono, et al., (Atlas of Cerebral Sulci, 1990) on 25 brains which were largely from Germans, and b) Connolly (1950) on 60 brains; 30 from white Germans and 30 from black Americans. As most of these were from Germans (as was Einstein) the comparisons are likely valid.
Einstein's spectacular ground-breaking work was done by "Gedankenexperiments", or "thought experiments". Examples are "Einstein's Box" and the Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen (EPR) Paradox. EPR led to Bell's Theorem, discussed in blogpost "Do Your Mystical Experiences Fit With Quantum Physics? Neuroscience?". Modern quantum physics was developed by imagining how a certain aspect could manifest and then discussing the problems/implications with such a situation, like riding on a beam of light, or falling in an elevator in space. The famous Bohr-Einstein debates are detailed by Niels Bohr in "Discussions with Einstein on Epistemological Problems in Atomic Physics".
These sophisticated mental experiments require massive analytical and computational brain power, the ability to visualize unusual forces acting on bodies in completely new ways, and an exceptional sense of how things moved in space and time relative to one another. Einstein laid great importance on his ability to "feel" how an experiment manifested mentally; he wrote that "thinking entailed an association of images and ‘feelings’, and that, for him, the elements of thought were, not only visual, but also ‘muscular’ (Hadamard, 1945)
The parietal lobe processes and integrates sensory information, movement and navigation in space as well as mentally manipulating objects, numbers and their relationships, and language, obviously critical areas for Einstein in his "Gedankens".
The right hemisphere superior/top parietal (purple), and the left hemisphere inferior/bottom parietal (blue) are considerably larger than in typical brains. The "left brain/right brain" (simplistic) argument predicts that great thinkers would have a larger left (logical) brain. However, as the right brain (creative) parietal is used for images, understanding of maps and spatial relationships, it would also be important. As both left and right parietal were larger, they were both apparently important for Einstein's visualization work, logical as well as creative. Note that the entire right brain is shifted forward.
The salmon/pink colored area is the occipital lobe; the brain's visual processor, responsible for visual-spatial processing, color discrimination, and motion processing, all key for Einstein's thought-experiments. The red lines in the occipital and the darker black ones in the parietal represent differences in sulci, or folds, compared to others' brains.
Folds are very important as they represent where much work was done. Unusual folding of the cortex occurs to give more real estate for a particular type of processing. Einstein's brain, in general, had more folds, and extensions and branching of folds than is "typical". The evolution of folds has been attributed to alterations in internal connection patterns in what is called the ‘tension-based theory’ of the formation of convolutions and sulci. (Hasnain, et al., Cerebral Cortex, 2001).
The interior of the occipital lobe has several uncommon manifestations of the folds; one in the "inferior and superior sagittal sulci which are more ramified" occurs in only 4% of the other brains, another only in 8%.
The frontal lobe/cortex is for "executive function", reward, attention, planning, short-term memory, and motivation. Executive function includes determining better and best, same and different, prediction of outcomes, expectation based on action, future consequences, etc.; vital capabilities for Gedankens.
The frontal lobe of Einstein's brain (at right) has significant differences from others' brains, shown in yellow with differences in folds in red. In addition to the (pre)frontal cortex being larger, there are many, many differences in the folds. For example, "a connected precentral superior and inferior sulcus, a caudal segment of the inferior frontal sulcus that is connected with both the diagonal and precentral inferior sulci, a long midfrontal sulcus that terminates in the fronto-marginal sulcus of Wernicke", and on and on...
Einstein's brain's right frontal lobe actually has four rather than the typical three gyri, or ridges, which is "highly unusual". The left frontal lobe has the typical three ridges.
BTW, the yellow "knob" on the top of this right side is attributed to Einstein's violin playing. Right-handed violinists use their left hands for fingering; this "motor" enlargement demonstrates the neuroplasticity that "accommodated" that. These modifications occur w/extensive practice of a motor skill.
Einstein's brain's temporal lobe is also very different in its folds. The temporal lobe is for retention of visual memories, processing sensory input, comprehending language, storing new memories and "deriving meaning"; all critical for his work. There is one difference - "a separate medial segment of the transverse occipital sulcus on the left that crosses the superior margin of the hemisphere" that occurs in 0%, i.e. none, of the other brains examined.
A puzzle is the extraordinary expansion of his brain's left primary somatosensory and primary motor cortices normally associated w/the face and tongue. (No that's not why he stuck his tongue out...)
So, some of the neuroanatomy associated with higher cognitive functions is especially evident in Einstein's brain, and were dramatically different from "typical" brains reviewed in this study. However, his is not the only "different" brain in the 7,000,000,000 of our species. As we saw in the neuroplastically-modified motor cortex for his violin playing, the brain is magnificently "adaptive" even w/in one's lifetime.
The same phenomena almost certainly exists in "spiritual" work; some likely have brains at birth more adapted to those particular skills. Other adaptations may come w/significant "practice" and subsequent neuroplastic modification. Einstein spent his life contemplating the nature of the universe and the emerging perplexing physics and look how different his brain was. Some of this was no doubt genetic ("nature"), but much was likely the result of his dedication, a rich environment and the "satsang" w/others in his field ("nurture").
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| Great scientist sticking out his tongue |
On Einstein's passing in 1955, his brain was measured, weighed and put in a preservative solution. The entire and partially-sectioned brain was photographed, and 240 sections made. The rest of Einstein (not really, it was just his body) was cremated. BTW, the autopsy report has been missing for 18 years (OK, conspiracy theorists...)
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| Albert Einstein w/his brain |
Einstein's brain weighed 1230 grams (2.7 lbs). The brains of 76 year-old males are about 9% less than when they were adolescents; the "age-corrected" weight would be 1352 grams (3.0 lbs). His brain size was "unexceptional" (Wittelson, et al.. Lancet, 1999). Contrary to earlier reports, Einstein's brain is not "spherical" in shape, as you can see in the pic.
There were, however, many critical differences in Einstein's brain. Comparisons are based on two studies, a) Ono, et al., (Atlas of Cerebral Sulci, 1990) on 25 brains which were largely from Germans, and b) Connolly (1950) on 60 brains; 30 from white Germans and 30 from black Americans. As most of these were from Germans (as was Einstein) the comparisons are likely valid.
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| Neils Bohr and Einstein in their famous "debates" |
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| Einstein's Box Investigation of relation between time and energy |
These sophisticated mental experiments require massive analytical and computational brain power, the ability to visualize unusual forces acting on bodies in completely new ways, and an exceptional sense of how things moved in space and time relative to one another. Einstein laid great importance on his ability to "feel" how an experiment manifested mentally; he wrote that "thinking entailed an association of images and ‘feelings’, and that, for him, the elements of thought were, not only visual, but also ‘muscular’ (Hadamard, 1945)
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| Parietal and Occipital Lobes Differences in Einstein's Brain Looking from behind brain |
The right hemisphere superior/top parietal (purple), and the left hemisphere inferior/bottom parietal (blue) are considerably larger than in typical brains. The "left brain/right brain" (simplistic) argument predicts that great thinkers would have a larger left (logical) brain. However, as the right brain (creative) parietal is used for images, understanding of maps and spatial relationships, it would also be important. As both left and right parietal were larger, they were both apparently important for Einstein's visualization work, logical as well as creative. Note that the entire right brain is shifted forward.
 |
| Gyrus and sulcus of cortex |
Folds are very important as they represent where much work was done. Unusual folding of the cortex occurs to give more real estate for a particular type of processing. Einstein's brain, in general, had more folds, and extensions and branching of folds than is "typical". The evolution of folds has been attributed to alterations in internal connection patterns in what is called the ‘tension-based theory’ of the formation of convolutions and sulci. (Hasnain, et al., Cerebral Cortex, 2001).
The interior of the occipital lobe has several uncommon manifestations of the folds; one in the "inferior and superior sagittal sulci which are more ramified" occurs in only 4% of the other brains, another only in 8%.
The frontal lobe/cortex is for "executive function", reward, attention, planning, short-term memory, and motivation. Executive function includes determining better and best, same and different, prediction of outcomes, expectation based on action, future consequences, etc.; vital capabilities for Gedankens.
 |
| Frontal Lobe of Einstein's Brain Right side looking from front |
The frontal lobe of Einstein's brain (at right) has significant differences from others' brains, shown in yellow with differences in folds in red. In addition to the (pre)frontal cortex being larger, there are many, many differences in the folds. For example, "a connected precentral superior and inferior sulcus, a caudal segment of the inferior frontal sulcus that is connected with both the diagonal and precentral inferior sulci, a long midfrontal sulcus that terminates in the fronto-marginal sulcus of Wernicke", and on and on...
Einstein's brain's right frontal lobe actually has four rather than the typical three gyri, or ridges, which is "highly unusual". The left frontal lobe has the typical three ridges.
BTW, the yellow "knob" on the top of this right side is attributed to Einstein's violin playing. Right-handed violinists use their left hands for fingering; this "motor" enlargement demonstrates the neuroplasticity that "accommodated" that. These modifications occur w/extensive practice of a motor skill.
Einstein's brain's temporal lobe is also very different in its folds. The temporal lobe is for retention of visual memories, processing sensory input, comprehending language, storing new memories and "deriving meaning"; all critical for his work. There is one difference - "a separate medial segment of the transverse occipital sulcus on the left that crosses the superior margin of the hemisphere" that occurs in 0%, i.e. none, of the other brains examined.
A puzzle is the extraordinary expansion of his brain's left primary somatosensory and primary motor cortices normally associated w/the face and tongue. (No that's not why he stuck his tongue out...)
So, some of the neuroanatomy associated with higher cognitive functions is especially evident in Einstein's brain, and were dramatically different from "typical" brains reviewed in this study. However, his is not the only "different" brain in the 7,000,000,000 of our species. As we saw in the neuroplastically-modified motor cortex for his violin playing, the brain is magnificently "adaptive" even w/in one's lifetime.
The same phenomena almost certainly exists in "spiritual" work; some likely have brains at birth more adapted to those particular skills. Other adaptations may come w/significant "practice" and subsequent neuroplastic modification. Einstein spent his life contemplating the nature of the universe and the emerging perplexing physics and look how different his brain was. Some of this was no doubt genetic ("nature"), but much was likely the result of his dedication, a rich environment and the "satsang" w/others in his field ("nurture").
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