A critical view of the quest for brain structural markers of Albert Einstein’s special talents (a pot of gold under the rainbow)

Assertions regarding attempts to link glial and macrostructural brain events with cognitive performance regarding Albert Einstein, are critically reviewed. One basic problem arises from attempting to draw causal relationships regarding complex, delicately interactive functional processes involving f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain Structure and Function 2018-06, Vol.223 (5), p.2515-2518
Main Author: Colombo, Jorge A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatomy
Aptitude
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Brain
Brain - anatomy & histology
Brain - physiology
Brain architecture
Brain Mythology
Cell Biology
Cognition
Cognition - physiology
Cognitive ability
Humans
Neural networks
Neurology
Neurosciences
Substantia alba
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Summary:Assertions regarding attempts to link glial and macrostructural brain events with cognitive performance regarding Albert Einstein, are critically reviewed. One basic problem arises from attempting to draw causal relationships regarding complex, delicately interactive functional processes involving finely tuned molecular and connectivity phenomena expressed in cognitive performance, based on highly variable brain structural events of a single, aged, formalin fixed brain. Data weaknesses and logical flaws are considered. In other instances, similar neuroanatomical observations received different interpretations and conclusions, as those drawn, e.g., from schizophrenic brains. Observations on white matter events also raise methodological queries. Additionally, neurocognitive considerations on other intellectual aptitudes of A. Einstein were simply ignored.
ISSN:1863-2653
1863-2661
0340-2061
DOI:10.1007/s00429-018-1625-1